Requited
by LaughLoveLive2.0
Summary: They were separated by two thousand miles and seven years. Can London and Maddie find their way into each others hearts? London/Maddie. Londie femslash.
1. Coming Home

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: Hello, everybody! If you aren't already familiar with me, allow me to introduce myself. My name is LaughLoveLive. I am also known to some as Triple L or Trip. After seven successful femslash stories (according to the reviews I received, BTW, thank you!) in the That's So Raven fandom, I have decided to come over to one of my other favorite Disney shows and take a crack at two more of my favorite characters, Maddie and London. **

**I love reading reviews. They let me know what you think of the story whether it's good, bad or indifferent. Don't hesitate to be critical; I can take constructive criticism. And while I think flames are funny, if you are that offended by the material, you shouldn't read the story.**

**Which reminds me… THIS IS A FEMSLASH STORY. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ A FEMSLASH STORY, NOW IS THE TIME TO LEAVE.**

**Now that that's out of the way, please enjoy my first foray into Maddie/London or Londie femslash. Please enjoy!**

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**REQUITED**

_**Chapter 1**_

**Coming Home**

The Gulfstream G550 sliced through the heavens above the Atlantic Ocean. It soared 47,000 feet above the surface of the water below. The ultra-modern luxury jet contained one passenger en route from Paris. For the first time in nearly seven years, London Tipton would set foot in Boston, Massachusetts. Much had changed in the seven years she was gone.

Zack and Cody Martin graduated from Boston College, with honors. Marion Moesby, her Mr. Moesby, had been promoted to the U.S Eastern Region Vice President of Tipton Hotels International. Carey Martin was now a headliner selling out house dates in Atlantic City. Arwin Hawkhauser left the Tipton to join the Professional Bowlers Association Tour where he took rookie of the year honors in his first year and captured the Firestone Tournament of Champions crown. Esteban Ramirez followed in the footsteps of Mr. Moesby and worked his way up from bellhop to concierge and is now in his third year as the General Manager of the Tipton Boston.

Then there was Maddie Fitzpatrick. She earned a full scholarship to Boston University where she received her bachelor's degree, moved over to Cambridge to earn her law degree from Harvard and was now a first year associate at the law firm of Collier, Beckett and Associates, the most prestigious firm in Boston.

Maddie. The mere thought of her brought a flood of emotions to the surface for the Tipton heiress. The second-to-last thing on Earth London wanted was to fall in love with her best friend. She had just begun to embrace the idea of true friendship that didn't have to be purchased, but simply cultivated and nurtured when she fell in love with Maddie. But falling in love with her was the second-to-last thing London wanted. The last thing on Earth she wanted was to come to terms with being in love with her best friend the day before she left for Paris and not be able to tell her.

During the first semester of her freshman year at Harvard, London's father fell seriously ill. She rushed to Paris to be at his side. Little did she know that her time with him would be short. All of the money "Daddy" had paid to land her an undeserved spot in Harvard's freshman class couldn't prepare her for what lay ahead for her. Wilfred Tipton had suffered from an undiagnosed stomach cancer that took his life just days after London arrived. She grieved his death for the better part of a year. It was during this time that Maddie provided her with the emotional support that she so desperately needed. She was there for London at the funeral, during her nervous breakdown and her unsuccessful suicide attempt.

Maddie had helped navigate London through her darkest hour. It was during this dark period in her life that London Leah Tipton changed. Her father's death gave her a focus and a perspective in life that she never had growing up. She made the heart-wrenching decision to leave Boston, her home, and move to Paris to be near the Tipton International corporate headquarters. She felt it was now her purpose in life to not be just the Tipton heiress, the air headed jet set playgirl that spent more money than some small nations, but to run the Tipton empire as the undisputed leader of the next Tipton generation.

London hired the best tutors money could buy and immersed herself in everything from international finance to human resources to food service management. She graduated with honors from The Sorbonne in Paris and at the age of 23 was named the Vice President of International Business Development for Tipton International. Gone were the sparkly boots and brightly colored outfits of her teenage years. London Tipton was now a successful businesswoman and dressed the part to prove it.

In such a short amount of time, the young woman that was handed the material world on a silver platter then had the emotional world snatched from under her feet had righted herself. In addition to the beauty and the riches she already possessed, she acquired a work ethic that was the envy of the business world. She had developed a strong relationship with her stepmother Brandi after her father's death. The worldwide admiration she already had in her youth was joined by the newfound respect that she had earned. She had it all. Except for true love.

The day before she left for Paris, she was supposed to meet Maddie for lunch. It was her moment. She was going to tell Maddie how she felt. She had no idea if Maddie felt the same way, but she had to tell her. It was eating away at her. This was it. She left her condo and headed for her limo when it happened. She had a panic attack. It was too much, too soon for her. Her personal assistant called Maddie to inform her of what happened. After being assured that London was fine, Maddie was told by London's doctor that it was best for no one to see her off when she left so as to prevent another panic attack from occurring.

They had kept in touch over the years. One would email the other one on a weekly basis. Phone calls were exchanged once every two months or so. But telling Maddie by telephone was not an option. Neither was email. Their schedules seemed to always conflict so face-to-face encounters had been out of the question. Eventually, it had gotten to the point where it had become too painful to think about. She had probably already found some hunk in law school to canoodle around Boston with. Maddie probably never mentioned it in her emails or phone calls because she knew London was alone and didn't want to hurt her feelings and sink her into a depression.

It was at that point that London decided she was never going back to Boston on the chance that she would see her. She told herself that she couldn't go back. She promised herself that she wouldn't go back. So why after seven years was she on her private jet headed for Beantown?

It all started one day in late December 2016.

**(Flashback to three and a half months earlier)**

"Sandrine?" London called out to her secretary from her French provincial style office. She had come to hate using the intercom. She felt it was pretentious. London had indeed changed.

"Yes, Miss Tipton?" Sandrine said as she entered the office.

"Has the mail arrived today?"

"It just arrived. I am sorting it now."

"Thank you!" London said. Several minutes later, Sandrine came in to her office and plopped a six-inch stack of mail into the inbox at the corner of her desk.

"Merde!" London fired off a curse in French that, translated into English, is a four-letter word for excrement. "Sandrine! Make sure I fire the letter carrier tomorrow!" London joked. She had a cordial, almost best friend type relationship with her 27-year old French accented secretary.

London flipped through envelope after envelope of contract proposals and quarterly projections from Tipton properties around the globe. Her mindless flipping stopped when she came upon a white envelope with red embossed calligraphy on the outside. The return address was from Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She tore the envelope open and read:

**Because you have shared in their lives  
by your friendship and love  
you are invited to share  
with our daughter, Barbara Elizabeth  
and Cody James Martin  
when they exchange marriage vows  
and begin their new life together  
on Saturday, the fifteenth of April  
Two thousand seventeen  
at four o'clock in the afternoon  
St. Paul's Church  
10 West Oak Street  
Boston, Massachusetts**

**Thomas and Elaine Brownstein**

"Oh my god! Sandrine! Sandrine! Cody's getting married! One of the twins is getting married!" London exclaimed.

"Let me see!" Sandrine said as she ran into the office to look at the invitation. London had talked about everyone in Boston so much, Sandrine felt like she knew them as well. "Miss Tipton…" Sandrine ominously said. "The wedding is in Boston. And you said that you would never set foot in that city again as long as…"

"I know." London said. She had confided in Sandrine regarding her unrequited love for her best friend. "And it's about time you stopped calling me Miss Tipton. It's London. Okay?"

"Okay, Miss Ti… London." Sandrine corrected herself. "So… London are you going?"

London paused for a moment. She was still not ready to see Maddie face-to-face, but she promised the twins that she would be there when the finally tied the knot.

"Yes. I'm going. Little Cody has grown up and is getting married. And London is going to be there." London said confidently. "Do me a favor and get Cody's number for me. I've got to talk to him."

**(End of Flashback)**

"Miss Tipton?" Jennifer, London's personal cabin steward said. London, who was staring out the window, turned her head to acknowledge her. "We will land at Logan International in about 45 minutes."

"Thank you Jennifer. Oh! And did you confirm that a car will be waiting for me?" London said.

"Just like you requested. They have a 2017 Mercedes S550 sedan waiting in the hangar." Jennifer said. "Are you sure you don't want a driver?"

"I'm sure Jennifer. I maybe wealthy, but I'm not an invalid. I had my fill of being chauffeured when I was a teenager. It's time for London to take the wheel."

The next 45 minutes passed in the blink of an eye. London was slightly startled when she heard Captain Rich Anderson's voice over the intercom.

"**Good Afternoon Miss Tipton. We are beginning our final approach into Logan. It's 3:45 local time and currently an unseasonably warm 73 degrees at the airport. Please fasten your seat belt and secure your belongings. And by the way Miss Tipton… welcome home."**

The 'welcome home' part of the captain's announcement struck a chord inside London. This was home for her. She might have been gone for seven years but when he said that, a familiar warmth began to wash over her. A faint smile spread over her face as the Boston skyline became visible. There was Hancock Place and the Prudential Tower. Since she left, two new buildings, Trans National Place and South Bay Tower took their place above all other buildings in the skyline. New Fenway Park gleamed in the distance, standing across the street from where the Old Fenway Park once stood; standing in the same location Maddie once lived.

The plane touched down a few minutes before 4 in the afternoon. As the plane taxied to its parking place just outside the Tipton hangar, Captain Anderson came on to officially welcome London to Boston.

"**Miss Tipton, welcome to Logan International Airport in Boston, Mass, home of the six-time and current defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots!"**

"Rich and his Patriots." London chuckled to herself. She had become very generous as part of her transformation. Her Christmas gift to Captain Anderson was a one-year lease on a private luxury box at Gillette Stadium for him and his family and friends. London's personality had done a 180-degree turn that shocked those that knew her in her youth. However, in the time since she left Boston, the only person from the hotel gang that had seen her was Mr. Moesby. Once a year at the annual board meetings that take place in February, she would see him and have dinner with him. This past February, however, illness prevented him from making the trip to Paris.

London stepped off the plane and began walking toward the black Mercedes she saw parked in the middle of the hangar. As she got closer, she noticed someone standing outside the car waiting for her. She turned to around and called out to Jennifer.

"I thought you said I wouldn't have a driver!" London bellowed. She turned and continued to the car. The closer she got, she realized the person standing there was not her driver. "Mr. Moesby?"

"London, if you don't start calling me Marion, I shall be forced to bring you up on charges before the board." Moesby said with a serious look etched on his face that melted away in seconds, leaving a broad grin in its place.

"Marion!" London came up to him and threw her arms around him in a bear hug. "I missed you at the annual meeting! How are you?" She asked as they released the hug.

"I am in tip-top shape! I even ran the Boston Marathon this year! Finished in four and a half hours." Marion said. "The question for you young lady is what took you so long to come back home?"

London looked at Marion. He had been the closest thing to a father to her growing up. With her father flying around the world for business, Marion Moesby was there for many of the important moments in her life; her first steps, teaching her how to ride a bike and teaching her to read. She thought he might understand what was on her mind but the only person she had told of her love for Maddie was her assistant Sandrine.

"It's a long story, one that you don't want to hear anyway." London said.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with a certain blonde attorney that resides here in Boston, now would it?" Marion said.

_How in the hell does he know? _London thought to herself. The look on her face was one of annoyance because of the question, yet her eyes brightened at the mention of object of her affection.

"Now why would Maddie have anything to do with me not coming home?" London scoffed.

"Why don't we go for a ride in this magnificent automobile and talk about it." Marion said.

He loaded her bags into the trunk as she slid into the driver's seat. He bounded around the side of the car and hopped in on the passenger side. She cranked up the car and headed for the airport exit.

"They've done a lot of construction in the greater Boston area. Are you sure you don't want me to drive?" Marion asked.

"Got it under control. That's what MapQuest and car navigation systems are for." London replied. She decided to take to offensive in picking up the previous conversation. "Now what was that crap back there about me not coming home because of Maddie?"

"London, I have known you all of your life. You don't think that I am able to read you like a book?"

"Okay. You have known me all my life and perhaps, just perhaps, you can read me. So, genius, what is it that you read?" London fired back.

"My dear, it is as plain as the nose on your pretty little face today as it was the day before you left seven years ago." Marion said. "You are in love with Madeline." _Busted. _London said to herself. _Am I that easy to read? _"And no. I think that I am the only one that can pick up on you so easily. Remember…"

"You've been around me all my life. I know." London deadpanned.

"I do cross paths with Madeline on occasion." Marion offered. "And she seems to have the same prickly reaction when your name is mentioned."

"I left here seven years ago without saying goodbye. I'd be prickly too if I were her."

"But you two have conversed over the years, so its not like you completely lost contact."

_He has a point. _She thought. "Still Marion, she is a successful attorney in a powerful city. She is beautiful and smart and she can have her pick of any man in New England so what I am going to do is say hello to my old friends, enjoy Cody's wedding and push aside all this Maddie nonsense in my head. This week is not about me, it's about Cody."

"C.J." Marion said.

"C.J. What? What's C.J.?" London asked.

"That's what he goes by now, C.J." Marion said.

"Is that why he didn't return my call three months ago, because I called him Cody?"

"No, he's been very busy. He's been studying for the GMAT exam. It took him two weeks to return his brother's call."

"His brother still goes by Zack, doesn't he?"

Marion laughed. "Yes, he is still Zack."

"So what about you, Marion? The Tipton can't still be your life. Anyone special you want to tell me about?" London probed for information. Marion was always very guarded about his personal life.

"Ah! There is indeed a beautiful young woman in my life that you will meet very soon. In the meantime, where is it that you think you are going?" Marion asked.

"To the hotel! My directions say to make a left on South Franklin."

"South Franklin is one way, my dear. You are going to have to go down to Federal Plaza and come back around." Marion corrected her. "I told you to let me drive."

"I hate to pull rank on you, but remember, I am still your boss." London said with a smile.

"Thank goodness your business navigation is better than your vehicular navigation, otherwise I'd be out of a job and have to resort panhandling under the overpass at the Bunker Hill Bridge!" Marion joked.

London smiled as she made the turn on to Federal Plaza. Several blocks ahead, the distinctive profile of the Tipton Hotel came into view. She thought about the last comment from her driving companion and the sight of the hotel where she spent a good part of her youth.

"By the way…" Marion said in a soft tone. "You just passed Madeline's office. I thought you might want to know that… just in case you decide to pay an old friend a visit."

She looked over at Marion and then glanced at the office building in her rear view mirror. She incorporated that information into the package of thoughts she was currently mulling over. Her warm smile widened ever so slightly. _Yep. _London thought to herself. _It's good to be home._

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**That was painless, I think. My first Londie chapter. I know what you're thinking. Where's Maddie? Where are Zack and Cody and the rest of the gang? They're coming, I promise. Actually, we're gonna check in on Maddie next. Please come back and join me for Chapter 2. But not before you review this chapter, please. THANK YOU.**


	2. Sweet Madeline

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

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**REQUITED**

_**Chapter 2**_

**Sweet Madeline **

Maddie looked out of the 27th floor window of her office in the Deval Patrick Tower, named after the first African-American governor in Massachusetts history, onto the street below. It was a little past nine in the morning on Monday. C.J.'s wedding was six days away. Maddie knew the time was coming soon. She knew that at some point in the near future, she would have to see her. _Why did she have to get sick that afternoon seven years ago?_ Maddie thought to herself over the years. _I only needed a minute to tell her that I loved her. I only needed a minute to look her in the eyes and tell her I would be waiting for her when she returned._

Talking to her on the phone is one thing. Emailing and instant messaging is another. Seeing her is something totally different. When Maddie became an associate at Collier, Beckett and Associates, a video conferencing system was installed in her office. When London called a month later to tell her that she got video conferencing capability in her office, she asked Maddie if she had it. Maddie lied. It was too painful to look at her.

In seven years, she never so much as exchanged a picture with London. What was the point? She knew what London looked like. London knew what she looked like. They didn't have kids. They had no significant others. She was Maddie and London was London, period, end of story. In the back of her mind, however, she so desperately wanted to know if London's look had changed. She knew that certain aspects of her personality had changed and wondered if London's internal makeover moved to the exterior as well. Maddie pondered this as she stared out the window. Just then the phone rang. After several seconds, it rang again. Maddie assumed that her secretary, Chloe, had stepped away from her desk. On the third ring, Maddie walked over to her desk and answered as she slid into her leather chair.

"Collier, Beckett and Associates. Madeline Fitzpatrick." Maddie answered as she waited for the response on the other end. "Oh, hey Barry." She responded. Barry Levesque was another first-year associate that was assisting Maddie on the case of a client she was defending. "He offered what? Murder Two?" Maddie snapped. "Hell no! Duffy is out of his fucking mind! The max for a case like this is Man 1, seven to fifteen!" She heard a knock on her office door. "COME IN!" She called out. "If he thinks he can find a judge that is gonna let him go after murder two, then he's a bigger fucking idiot than I thought!" Her eyes lit up as she looked at the figure standing in her office doorway. It was Cody James "C.J." Martin.

Maddie started bouncing up and down silently in the seat and grinning from ear-to-ear as she motioned for him to come in and take a seat. She put her index finger, indicating that she would be another minute on the phone. "NO WAY! You call that prick… you know what? To hell with it. I'm gonna call that prick and tell him exactly what he can do with that deal." Maddie spat. "Murder two. It'll be a cold day in hell before I hand him a murder two conviction!" She waited for Barry's response. "Okay… Okay… Federal Plaza, one o'clock. Right. Bye."

Maddie hung up the phone and shot straight up out of her chair. "CODY… I MEAN… C.J!" She ran over to embrace him.

"That's okay Maddie. I get that all the time." C.J. answered.

"Let me look at you! My god you look good!" Maddie exclaimed. Seven years changes a lot. The soon-to-be 24-year old had grown to a physically imposing 6-foot-2. After years of teasing from his twin brother, he began hitting the gym and packed a solid 190 pounds on his frame. "You look great!" Maddie said.

"You act like you haven't seen me in years. It's just been a couple of months." C.J. said. His voice had also gained some bass over the years.

"I know. But still… you look great!" Maddie said. "Sit!" Maddie gestured to the guest chair. C.J. took a seat. Maddie sat on the edge of her desk.

"Maddie, I'm getting married on Saturday. Flirting with me won't work." C.J. joked.

"I see studying for the GMAT hasn't dulled that Martin wit of yours." Maddie said. "Speaking of the Martin's… when are your parents coming in?"

"Well… Mom said that she's coming in this afternoon. Dad's flying in from San Francisco tomorrow." C.J. said.

"Not that I am not happy to see you here, because I am, but with everything you have to do… what are you doing here?" Maddie asked.

"Well… I haven't had a chance to talk to you in a while, and considering the fact that all these people are coming into town, I figured I would get some face time in with you before they get here. Especially before a certain someone from Paris, France gets here."

Maddie's soft brown eyes locked with C.J. for a moment before dropping to the floor. C.J. was the one person she confided in with regard to her feelings for London. Just before her undergrad graduation, in a conversation with her, he commented on how it would have been nice for London to be there. Maddie broke down in front of him and, after being consoled for several minutes, she admitted that her feelings for London ran deeper than mere friendship. It is a subject between them that is not brought up very often. It had been more than two years since it had been spoken of. However, given the circumstances, C.J. knew the subject had to be revisited.

"She's here." Maddie said softly. It had been a rarity over that last year to see the softer side of Maddie Fitzpatrick. The intense nature of her work has caused her to set softness aside in favor of the hard exterior needed to be a successful defense attorney in Boston.

"Did she call you?" C.J. asked.

"No. I can just feel it. She's here." Maddie said.

"After all these years, you're still in love her." C.J.'s statement was also part-question.

"More than the day she left." Maddie replied.

"So are you going to continue pining away for her from afar or are you going to open your mouth and tell her how you feel?" C.J. challenged her.

"What's the point?" Maddie pondered aloud. "She lives in Paris. I live in Boston. Even if I tell her, and even if she feels the same way, and even if we started a relationship, at the end of the day, she still lives in Paris and I live in Boston."

"If... if. Ven die bubbah halla tsehen qulishkes, het gehaya zadeh." C.J. said, taking a line from the movie _The Distinguished Gentleman._

"Hello! Irish Catholic here! I don't speak Yiddish!" Maddie said. C.J. looked at her surprised, not expecting her to correctly identify the language. "I saw Distinguished Gentleman on TNT last night, too! And for the record, no one has been able to prove that my grandmother has balls."

"Touché." C.J. said. "My point is, with that attitude, you are going to 'if' yourself right out of the one thing that you want in your life… a chance to love London. Don't you owe it to yourself to leave yourself open to every opportunity you get this week? You don't know when, or even if it will come around again."

Maddie thought about C.J.'s words. But her mind wasn't ready to embrace the idea just yet.

"But what about the distance thing?" Maddie asked. "It's 3,440 miles to Paris from here. That's 5,536 kilometers." C.J. looked incredulously at Maddie after her precise calculations. "What? I looked it up."

"Maddie. Have you read Forbes magazine? London Tipton is worth $26 billion dollars. She is the second richest woman on the planet behind Oprah. You combine that with the 75 grand a year you pull down and I think the two of you could swing a trans-continental relationship." C.J. commented.

"For the record, I make $95,000 a year, thank you very much and you know that money is not the point. Our schedules…"

"Don't give me that 'Our schedules are so hectic' bullshit." C.J. said without raising his voice. "Let me tell you something. My…" Just then his cell phone rang. "Mom." He said to Maddie. "Hi Mom… What do you mean you're at the airport? I thought you were coming in this afternoon… Yes, of course I'm glad you got an earlier flight… I'm at Maddie's office right now… (to Maddie) Mom says hello… No… No, don't catch a cab. It's too expensive. I can be there in 25 minutes… Okay Mom… I love you too." C.J. hung up the phone. "I've got to run. But please call me so we can finish this."

"No need. I think I get your point." Maddie said. "It's time to take the bull by the horns, hit the ground running, saddle up and ride."

"Wow! Three clichés in a row. You've either got it real bad for her or you're finally living up to the dumb blonde stereotype." C.J. joked.

"You're lucky I love you or I'd sue you for slander." Maddie shot back.

C.J. laughed. "I call you." He said as he embraced Maddie and kissed her on the cheek before heading to the door.

"Thanks for the talk." Maddie said. "You're quite a young man, C.J. Martin."

"Little Cody always looks out for his girls." C.J. said.

"Give your Mom my love."

"I will. Bye." C.J. said as he turned and left Maddie's office.

Maddie sighed as she went around behind her desk. _Of course C.J was right. _Maddie thought to herself. _This is your chance to tell her exactly how you feel. You've waited seven years for this._ Maddie picked up the phone and dialed.

"_It's a great day at the Tipton Boston. Gretchen speaking. How may I connect your call?"_

"Esteban Ramirez, please." Maddie said.

"_One moment while I transfer you." _Gretchen said before background music began playing through the phone.

"_Esteban Ramirez."_

"Esteban. It's Maddie."

"_Maddie! How are you? Long time, no hear."_

"I know. I am sorry. I've been really busy with cases and all. I hate to get info and run but tell me… when is London checking in?"

"_Miss London? She checked in yesterday afternoon. She didn't call you?"_

"No." Maddie felt her heart sink. She knew if it were the other way around the first thing she would have done was to call London. "I guess I was in a meeting and missed her call."

"_Do you want me to connect you to her room? I think she is still here…"_

"No, Esteban. That's okay. I'm sure she's gonna call me when she gets settled. She's probably exhausted from the flight."

"_I'm sure that's it."_

"I've got to run, but we've got to do lunch one day soon."

"_I will clear my calendar for you. I will see you later this week then?"_

"Count on it. Thanks Esteban."

"_You're welcome."_

Without a chance to consider her conversation with Esteban, her intercom chirped.

"_Maddie?"_ It was the voice of Raymond Collier, senior partner of the law firm.

"Yes, Raymond?"

"_Can I see you in the main conference room, please?"_

"Right away." Maddie answered. She had never been summoned to the main conference room before. She was wondering if she was in trouble. She turned to corner and entered the conference room to find Raymond Collier alone.

"Good Morning Raymond."

"Good Morning Maddie. Please sit." Raymond Collier was an imposing presence both inside the courtroom and out. He was a handsome man in his mid-fifties. He stood 6-foot-3 and approached 220 pounds. His salt and pepper gray hair was perfectly coiffed. His clothing was always impeccably tailored. He had a rich, soothing voice that could easily narrate one of the programs one would see on the History channel.

"Is everything all right?" Maddie asked apprehensively.

"Everything is fine." Collier assured her. "I brought you in here because I want you to meet our new client. He is an ex-football player that is going to be doing some serious investing and I would like you to assist me in working with him."

"But you have me working in the criminal division right now." Maddie said.

"That's true. But we both know that's not where you want to be. You said in your interview that you wanted to be involved with more white-collar clientele. I threw you into Criminal to see if you were a team player. And just like I expected, you jumped right in with both feet. Although I'm sure you called me a few names along the way." Collier said.

Maddie chuckled. "I plead the fifth on that one." "So tell me about this client."

"Well… Oh, here he is now." Collier said to Maddie before standing to greet the new client. A very thickly built African-American man standing a shade less than six feet tall and close to 250 pounds strode through the door in a tailored Italian suit. "Mr. Fletcher, it's a pleasure to see you again. Madeline Fitzpatrick, this is London Fletcher-Baker." _You've got to be fucking kidding me! His name is London?_ Maddie's mind spat. "London… may I call you London…" _Would you stop with the London already?_

"London is fine." The ex-Ram, Bill and Redskin said.

"London, this is Madeline Fitzpatrick." Collier continued with the introduction. "She is one of our newest and brightest attorneys and she will be working with us.

"It's a pleasure to meet you… London." Maddie eked out as she shook this London's hand. _This is gonna be a long day_. She thought.

Collier spoke up. "Now that the intros are out of the way, let's get down to business."

During the course of the hour-long meeting, Maddie felt like Raymond Collier said the name "London" about 500 times. Each time was like a little pinprick on her skin. She found it difficult to concentrate during the meeting because each utterance of the name London brought to mind memories of the past; getting trapped in one of London's walk-in closets, dressing as nuns after a failed escape from detention, working in London's boutique, and her personal favorite, sharing parenting duties with London. That one still made Maddie laugh at the mere thought of it.

London Tipton sat in her hotel room staring out into the city. In actuality, she was staring out at one particular building in the city, the Deval Patrick Tower. _She is in there. _London thought. She sat contemplating whether or not to visit her. That was exactly what Marion had in mind when he pointed out Maddie's building to her in the car the day before. Then she remembered that she hadn't even called Maddie when she arrived. Call Maddie. That is what she would do. _Don't think about it, just do it, before you lose your nerve. _She said.

"Hello, front desk? Could you please get me the number for Collier, Beckett and Associates, please?" She received the number from the desk and dialed without hesitation. After reaching the main receptionist, she was transferred to Maddie's office.

"_Collier, Beckett and Associates. Madeline Fitzpatrick's office." _Chloe said.

"Madeline Fitzpatrick, please."

"_Miss Fitzpatrick is in a meeting right now. May I take a message or connect you with her voicemail?"_

_Damnit, Maddie! _London thought to herself. "Do you know how long she will be in her meeting?"

"_I'm sorry I don't."_

"Well, could you please tell her that London Tipton called?"

"_I certainly will, Miss Tipton."_

"Thank you." London hung up the phone. _In a meeting. But at least she's there. _"Mohammed… it's time to go to the mountain." With that, London stood up and straightened herself before heading out the door. She was headed to the Deval Patrick Tower. She was headed to see her Maddie.

After her meeting was over, Maddie's head was spinning. It wasn't the meeting that caused it. It was the name London that rang in her ears. She made a beeline back to her office. Chloe tried to get her attention on the way in, but to no avail. Maddie grabbed her purse and her car keys. Chloe nearly ran into her outside the door to her office.

"You had several messages while you were in your meeting." Chloe said.

"They can keep until I get back. I have an errand to run." Maddie said. "Anyone other than Barry Levesque can wait."

"But one of the messages was…"

"Barry Levesque. That's it." Maddie said over her shoulder on her way to the elevator.

"Where are you going? In case Mr. Collier or Mr. Beckett needs you?" Chloe called out. The elevator doors chimed.

Maddie answered as she was getting on the elevator. "I'm going to see a client at the Tipton." Just then the doors closed.

Chloe dropped the message pad back onto her desk. "That's… who… just called you. London Tipton."

* * *

**I think you can see where this is headed. Are they gonna run into each other? Are they gonna miss each other? Are they gonna miss each other then run into each other? When am I gonna see everybody else from The Suite Life? The answers to those questions are maybe, maybe, maybe and in the next chapter. That chapter, chapter three, is next. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	3. There She Is

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**

* * *

REQUITED **

_**Chapter 3**_

**There She Is**

London got onto the familiar elevator and headed down to the lobby. This was indeed home. She had stepped on to the elevator countless times headed to exotic and not-so-exotic locales. She would return from those locales usually burdened with arms full of bags and packages from every store imaginable. The private elevator of the Presidential Suite had been London's version of a roller coaster. Whether it was going up or going down, it was sure to be one heck of a ride.

This ride, however, made her more nervous than normal. She was less than a half an hour away from a face-to-face meeting seven years in the making. The love of her life was less than 15 blocks away. As the elevator descended toward the lobby, the knot in her stomach began to tighten. She wondered what kind of shape she was going to be in when she reached Maddie's building, her floor, her office. If only she could see a familiar face to calm her nerves. Esteban and Marion were attending a regional meeting via conference call at Marion's office in the heart of downtown. The rest of the staff was new to her. There was no one left from the "good ol' days".

London sighed as she stepped off the elevator and into the lobby. She couldn't help but glance over at the candy counter where Maddie once worked. It had been remodeled, like the rest of the hotel had been two years earlier, but to her it would always be Maddie's candy counter. She was still looking at the counter as she started walking toward the main entrance. Her journey to that entrance came to an abrupt halt when she ran into a man talking on his cell phone. The force knocked London backwards and turned her around, but didn't knock her off her feet.

"Hold on a second, baby." The man said to the person on the phone. "I'm sorry Miss. Are you all right?"

London turned her head and started to look up. Before her eyes hit his face, she could tell that the man was over six feet tall.

"Yes, I'm fine. Are you… Oh my God! Zack! Is that really you?" London gawked in amazement. For the first time in seven years, she laid eyes on Zack Martin.

"Now what's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?" Zack replied. London squealed and jumped into his arms, not caring about the heads that turned in the lobby.

Zack put the phone up to his ear with one arm, still holding London with the other. "Hey Maxie, let me call you back. I just ran into London… Okay. I love you too. Bye." He snapped the phone shut and completed his bear hug on London. "It's so good to see you! When did you get into town?" Zack sat London back on the ground. "Wow! I've seen pictures of you in magazines and interviews on TV but they don't do you justice. You look amazing."

"I got back yesterday. And thank you. I am just… it's good to be back." London said. "I heard you on the phone say Maxie. Is that the same Max I knew?"

"Old habits die hard." Zack joked. "Yeah. That's her. We've been dating off and on for about four years now. I think it's on for good."

"So am I gonna be coming back for another Martin wedding in the near future?" London suggestively asked as she playfully elbowed Zack.

"Can you keep a secret?" Zack asked.

"The old London couldn't but this one can." London said in a whisper. Zack reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a small blue box. He opened it to reveal a 1-carat oval diamond engagement ring. London gasped. "Zack… it's beautiful! When…"

"At the rehearsal dinner." Zack said. "I asked C.J. and Barbara if it would be all right. They said yes. I hope Max does too."

"Oh! You're gonna make me cry!" London reached into her purse for a tissue to dab her eyes. Just then a middle-aged woman who saw the scene walked up to the two of them.

"Congratulations, sweetheart. That is so romantic." The woman said.

"Huh?" London huffed and then looked at the woman, then Zack holding the ring, then remembered that she was crying. "NO! No, ma'am! It's not what you think!"

"No, ma'am!" Zack said. "I was just showing her the ring. It's not hers."

"Oh. So you're just going to tease her with it and then take it away? That is mean and insensitive. You should be ashamed of yourself!" The woman said before walking away.

"But she's just…" Zack tried to reassure the woman as she walked away but it was of no use. London was snickering under her breath before the snicker grew into a full belly laugh. "Very funny." Zack deadpanned. "But…" Zack grabbed London's hand and studied it. "I don't see a rock on your finger."

London gingerly withdrew her hand with a forlorn look. "I haven't found my true love yet."

"Yes you have. I am under the belief that 90 percent of people in the world meet their true love in their lifetime. They just don't connect with them for one reason or another. I think you have already met your true love. I think you've known your true love for years." Zack said.

"Did someone tell you?" London asked.

"No. I just have a sixth sense about these things. I told Mr. Moesby months before he started dating Charlotte that he had already met his future wife. And guess what? She lives in his building." Zack said.

"So let's assume that you do have this gift. Then if I've met my true love already, who is it?" London challenged Zack.

"I have a hunch. But I'm not gonna say. If I'm wrong, you might be angry." Zack said.

"If you're right, I might be angry because I didn't think anyone else knew." London countered then sighed. "Let's just say that I am on my way to see my true love now."

"Fair enough." Zack said. "I'll let you go." Zach hugged her. "How about dinner tomorrow night with Max and me?"

"You trust me around her now that I know about the secret?"

"I trust you." Zack said. "Now go. I am not about to stand in the way of you and your love."

"All right Zack." London started toward the main entrance. "Call me."

"Okay. And London?"

"Yeah?" London stopped and turned to Zack.

Zack delivered his next line with a warm, knowing smile. "Tell Maddie I said hi."

London stood frozen for a moment, shocked that Zack hit the nail on the head. She then shook her head slowly as a smile crept across her face.

"You bet I will." London said with a wink as she turned and headed out of the exit. She handed the valet her stub. Moments later, her car pulled up. After tipping the valet, she hopped in. Just before pulling away, her cell phone rang. It was her secretary Sandrine with some information she requested. She sat there for a moment, taking down the information.

Maddie wheeled her silver 2014 Lexus SC600 convertible in front of the main entrance to the Tipton. _Damn, that new Benz is gorgeous! _She thought to herself looking at the gleaming German automobile parked in front of her. She slid out of the driver's seat and handed her valet key to the attendant. She took her ticket and was about to enter the hotel when she stopped and listened to the smooth rumble of the Mercedes engine as the car in front of her pulled away. _That looks like London's type of car. Who am I kidding? She probably has a Bentley._

She stepped inside the hotel and walked straight over to the front desk. There was no wide-eyed sentimentality involved with Maddie and the Tipton. She had three to five meetings a month there. As she confidently strode to the front desk, a familiar voice called out to her.

"Maddie?" Maddie turned to find the source of the voice. She scanned the lobby until she saw him.

"Hey Zack! How's it going?" Maddie said. She ran into Zack every now and then. He worked two blocks from her office for an entertainment company and would run into her at restaurants or coffee shops in the area.

"Let me take a wild guess…" Zack said as he walked over to Maddie. "You came to see London."

"Well I haven't seen her in seven years." Maddie said flatly.

"Well you've got a little longer to wait." Zack said. "You just missed her."

"WHAT?" Maddie exclaimed.

"I just talked to her. She's on her way to see you." Zack said with a raised eyebrow, anticipating a profane outburst from the volatile attorney.

"Sonofabitch!" Maddie spat. "When did she leave?"

"Couple of minutes ago." Zack said. "I'm surprised you didn't see her on your way in."

Then it clicked in Maddie's head. "The Benz. I'll be damned! That was her! Zack, it was good seein' ya but…"

"You gotta go. I know. Just be careful."

"I will. Bye." Maddie turned and started running back to the main entrance.

Zack watched her as she ran out and started shaking his head and laughing. "Oh yeah. This week is gonna be fun."

Maddie impatiently waited for the valet to retrieve her car. _I just came in! What the hell is taking so long?_ When her car arrived, she hopped in and peeled out onto the street. She flew down the city street toward her building. _I can catch her as she's going up._ She thought to herself. _I can't wait to see her!_ Her enthusiasm came to a grinding halt at the sight of red and blue lights in her rear view mirror. "Aww, come on! Not now! Shit!" Maddie slowly brought her car to rest three blocks from her building.

Eight minutes, an explanation and two impassioned pleas later, Maddie pulled away with a $175 ticket. _Who cares? _She thought. _I'm almost there._ Maddie hurtled her car down the ramp of the parking garage and wheeled around the corner seconds before a black blur came into her peripheral view. "FUCK!" Maddie slammed on brakes at the same instant the driver of the black vehicle did. After the teeth grinding screeching of tires, the two cars came to rest inches from one another. Maddie unbuckled her seat belt loaded for bear. She was pissed. She missed London at the hotel, got pulled over for speeding on the way back to her office to see her, now this. Hell hath no fury…

Maddie's car door flew open at the same time the other driver's door opened. The two drivers words were on top of each other.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM?" "THIS IS A GARAGE, NOT A GODDAMNED RACE TRACK!" "WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE FROM, TARGET?" "CONTROL THAT PIECE OF SHIT!" "YOU ARE THE WORST FUCKING DRIVER, LONDON!" "KISS MY ASS, MADDIE!"

And then there was silence.

"London?"

"Maddie?"

"I was coming to…" Maddie sputtered.

"I was on my way to…" London started.

"Nice car." Maddie said.

"I like yours too." London said.

"Are we going to hug or are we gonna trade car compliments all day?" Maddie said.

London smile lit up the underground structure. "I vote for the hug."

The two best friends stepped forward. For the first time in seven years, they made physical contact with each other. They held each other tightly as they rocked back and forth. Tears began flowing. No words were spoken. The middle of an underground parking garage was not the ideal place for a reunion, but it would have to do. Their sobs of joy echoed in the cavernous garage. They would have stayed there and hugged all day if it wasn't for the car horn that began to blare.

"Hey! You two wanna get a room! I'd like to get to my parking space!" A man in a cobalt blue BMW bellowed. Through their tears, London and Maddie began laughing. They slowly broke the embrace.

"Come on, let's park and go up to my office." Maddie said.

"Okay." London responded.

"A little faster please!" The man called out again. Maddie was about to pounce but was beaten to the punch by London.

"Hey! We're having a tender moment here, Assclown!" London fired back. "Don't worry! Your secretary is under your desk waiting for you like she always is! Now sit there and wait like a good little adulterer!"

"Bitch." The man muttered under his breath as he stuck his head back inside his car.

Maddie exploded in laughter as she went back to her car. _She is funnier than ever._

They stepped into the elevator in the garage. Maddie swiped her key card and pressed the button for the 27th floor.

"I still can't believe you called him an assclown!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Well, he was! I swear guys like that make me wish I still wore those sparkly boots. That way I could kick them in the butt and leave glitter all over the seat of their pants." London said with a degree of seriousness. Maddie cracked up in laughter again. London allowed a smile to creep across her lips. _I missed seeing her laugh. _She thought.

"So how long are you in town?" Maddie asked. _Long enough for me to tell you that I'm in love with you, I hope._

"Maddie. I am the de facto head of all things Tipton. I can stay as long as I want." London proclaimed. _Forever if you'll have me._

"Do I hear a little bit of the old London trying to slip out?" Maddie suggested.

"Princess is still in there. I just have her handcuffed in a dark room." London said.

_Mental… note… _Maddie said to herself as if she were writing it down. _She… likes… handcuffs. _She then unconsciously smiled a devilish smile.

"What was that for?" London asked.

"What?" Maddie asked honestly, not realizing London saw her smile.

"That look." London shot back. The elevator chime sounded signaling their arrival on the 27th floor.

"What look?" Maddie asked incredulously as the doors opened and she stepped off.

"Playing hard to get, I see. Okay." London said. _Nice choice of words, Numbnut._

They reached the edge of Chloe's desk when Chloe came out of Maddie's office.

"I'm glad you're back. London Tipton called for you just before you left." Chloe said this not realizing that London was standing behind Maddie.

"You mean this London Tipton?" Maddie stepped aside. London gave Chloe her old signature princess wave and pulled another oldie-but-goodie out of her bag.

"Yay me!" London said, bouncing up and down and clapping her hands vigorously. Maddie nearly choked as she began laughing again. "Wow! I haven't done that in years. Haven't lost my touch."

"Get in here, assclown!" Maddie said laughing as she walked into her office. London followed her laughing. When London stepped in, Maddie stuck her head out and addressed Chloe. "Hold all my calls. Collier, Beckett, Levesque. That's it. Thanks." Maddie then closed the door.

"Maddie Fitzpatrick laughing and joking?" Chloe said to herself out loud. "For her sake, I hope London Tipton sticks around."

Maddie placed her purse in her desk drawer then came back around in front of the desk. She gave London a good once over from head to toe.

"If Paris does this to people, then I need to hop on the first plane out of Logan. You look…" _Careful Madeline. _She decided to censor herself. "Incredible."

The 27-year old London Tipton was a far cry from the London Tipton that left Boston nearly a decade earlier. London had trimmed ten pounds of fat from her diminutive frame and had replaced it with ten pounds of muscle. When nature had finished filling out the young Miss Tipton, her curves were the envy of millions of women worldwide. Two years earlier, she found herself on People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People list, just a couple of page turns from her good friends, Ivanka Trump, Raven Baxter and that edition's cover girl, Abigail Breslin.

Her hair was meticulously done, flat iron straight, slightly longer than chin length, razor cut ends that framed her delicate, round face. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with just the right amount of eyeliner, the natural blush of her cheeks rendered artificial aid in that area useless.

Dark business suits were her outfits of choice. She still wore garments from the top designers in the world; Versace, Wang, Gucci and her personal favorite, Ravenesque by Raven. A low murmur could be heard in any board room she walked into thanks to the tailoring of her skirts which usually hit her mid-thigh, accentuating her toned legs and the four-inch stiletto heels she always wore. And if they weren't Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik or Raven's signature Chelsea line of shoes, then they weren't in London's closet.

"You look pretty incredible yourself there, Blondie." London replied, calling Maddie by an old nickname.

"You are the only one that I would let call me that." Maddie said warmly.

"What, incredible or blonde?" London joked. Maddie smiled. _That smile. That body! _London thought. She hadn't seen Maddie in seven years. She changed in appearance as well.

Madeline Fitzpatrick also provided a striking presence that turned many a head wherever she went. She resisted the urge to follow the trend of the day by keeping all of the length of her sun-kissed golden blonde mane. Her crowning glory extended four inches past her shoulders although she always kept it back in a tasteful ponytail at work.

She always kept makeup to a minimum. Eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss were usually all that she had time for, but was more than enough to make her one of the most eligible bachelorettes in Boston, according to a recent issue of Boston, a magazine highlighting all that is great about the city.

Despite the long hours that she put in at the office, she had a natural glow, emanating from her porcelain skin, that was a beacon to men, and women that came into contact with her. Lighter, brighter colors could always be found on Maddie. This was in stark contrast to the dark, bombastic personality she displayed on the job.

However, the thing that caught London's attention was Maddie's figure. London discovered where the ten pounds she lost went. Those ten pounds were accompanied by about five more and all fifteen of them landed in the right places. She could no longer call Maddie a "skinny, stick-legged freak" like she did the time Maddie tried to make a movie in the hotel. Maddie had the same taste in skirt length. She turned this into a distraction technique when she coupled it with her penchant for leaning on her desk with her legs stretched out or sitting on the edge of her desk with one leg on the floor and one hiked up, as she was doing at that moment.

"You didn't answer my question. I'm the only one that can call you incredible or blonde?" London pressed. _What are you doing?_

"You are London Tipton. You can call me whatever you want." Maddie joked. _Your baby would be nice._

_My baby would be nice. _London thought before responding. "Sometimes I wish my first name wasn't so pretentious. I mean "London"? It's just so…"

"You have a great name. London Leah Tipton. It's short and sweet. _Just like you. _Now my name… I could kill my parents for naming me that. I mean, you are my best friend and to this day you can't remember my full name."

"Madeline Margaret Genevieve Miranda Catherine Fitzpatrick." London rattled off Maddie's full forty-nine-letter name like it was her own. Maddie stood shell-shocked. Her mother was the only person besides herself that she had ever heard say her name without hesitation or transposition of one of her names.

"How in the world did you do that?" Maddie asked.

"MMGMCF." London said.

"Say what?" Maddie asked.

"MMGMCF. Those are your initials. I practiced every day for a week until I had your name down cold." London said. "Now, what name would you want if you weren't Maddie Fitzpatrick?"

_Madeline Tipton. _Maddie allowed herself to think. "I like Catherine."

London studied Maddie for a second. She cocked her head to one side and took a good look at the blonde bombshell. She unconsciously licked her lips and bit her bottom lip.

"But you are a Maddie. I can't imagine you as anything else." London softly said with an air of underlying intensity that was not lost on Maddie.

"I… Uh… Okay. Maddie it is, now and forever." Maddie said before hearing a knock at her door. "Come in."

"Maddie, I just wanted to go over…" Mr. Collier started before seeing Maddie's guest. "London Tipton."

"Ray Collier. How are you?" London walked over to Mr. Collier and embraced him, planting a kiss on his cheek.

"You two know each other?" Maddie asked, looking at both of them.

"I had a meeting with Tipton's board a couple of months ago." Collier said.

"You never mentioned that, London." Maddie said.

"I must not have been at that meeting." London answered.

"So how do you two know each other?" Collier asked.

"Raymond, London and I are best friends. I've known her for years." Maddie said. "I talk to her every week. I just haven't seen her in seven years."

"That is a piece of information I should have known a long time ago." Collier said with a chuckle. "London, would you excuse us for just a second." He said, placing his hand on the small of Maddie's back as they walked to her office door, stepping outside. "Why am I just finding out that London Tipton is your best friend?"

"Raymond, I didn't know that I was supposed to make my personal friendships known to the firm." Maddie said with surprise in her voice. She was taken aback by Collier's question. To be the highest-powered attorney in Boston, Raymond Collier is known by his friends and colleagues to be a sensitive and kind man.

"You're not. But I have been trying to acquire a piece of Tipton International's business for three years now. And today I find out that one of my associates is best friends with London Tipton herself…" Collier said. "I need a huge favor…"

"You want me to use my influence as London's best friend to win her business for the firm." Maddie said. "Raymond…"

"Maddie already talked to me." London emerged from the office. "She's been in my ear telling me how the firm can benefit Tipton International. And I think it's a good idea. Why don't we meet tomorrow to discuss it?"

"I would like that very much Miss Tipton." Collier said. Maddie watched the scene unfold in front of her with a confused feeling inside, but she suppressed the look that came with it for the sake of business. "Maddie… why don't you take the rest of the day off. You've got seven years of catching up to do."

"But I have a one o'clock with Barry…"

"I'll have Chloe take care of your calendar for the rest of the day. Go have fun. You need a break. You push yourself so hard. I promise your work will be here when you get back." Collier said.

"Okay. If you say so." Maddie said. "London, shall we?" Maddie offered her arm to London.

"We shall." London said with a smile as she locked arms with Maddie. "Ray, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay, London." Collier said as he watched the two best friends step out of the office arm in arm.

"Bye, Chloe. I'll see you tomorrow." Maddie said with a haphazard wave over her shoulder.

"Should I forward your calls to your cell phone?" Chloe asked.

"No. Let 'em go to voicemail." Maddie said as the elevator chime sounded. Collier and Chloe watched as the elevator door closed in front of the giggling best friends.

"That young woman is in dire need of letting loose and having some good silly fun." Collier said to Chloe.

"Yeah, she really needs to get laid." Chloe said with a sarcastic chuckle, forgetting that her audience was the man whose name was on her paycheck. "I… mean…uh… what I meant to say was…"

"It's all right, Chloe." Collier said. "There's more than one way to skin a cat. I think we both had the same idea."

* * *

**What did you think? I know it took a while but, for better or for worse, there it is. PLEASE REVIEW. Chapter four will be here soon.**


	4. Guidance Counselor

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**

* * *

**

**REQUITED**

_**Chapter 4**_

**Guidance Counselor **

"Take you car back to the hotel." Maddie said. "It's a beautiful day. We can take my car and ride with the top down."

"Where do you want to go?" London asked excitedly.

"Anywhere we want." Maddie said.

"Well can we eat something? I'm starving." London said as she held her stomach.

"Yeah, me too. Let's go." Maddie said as she ran around to her car and hopped in. She watched London sashay over to her car and climb in. A smile as wide as Boston Harbor spread across her face. London was home. Now would come the hard part. Maddie had to tell her that she was in love with her. London cranked up her car and slowly pulled out of the garage with Maddie behind her. Maddie stuck her earpiece in her ear seconds before an incoming call chirped.

"Hey!"

"_Hey! When I get to the hotel I'm gonna run upstairs and change."_

"Why? You look fine."

"_I'm just gonna throw on some jeans and tennis shoes."_

"Whoa! London Tipton wearing jeans and tennis shoes? What is the world coming to?" Maddie said.

"_Hey! If President Obama can run a cabinet meeting with no tie on, I can wear jeans and tennis shoes out in the street."_ London rationalized. _"Besides, the jeans will make my ass look fabulous!"_

"Well… since you put it that way…" Maddie said.

They pull up to the main entrance to the hotel. London hopped out of her car and noticed that Maddie was staying put in her car.

"You coming up?" London asked Maddie.

"You go ahead. I have a phone call to make. There is a question on a project that I'm working on that I have to ask about now before it leaks out of my skull. Last piece of work today… I promise." Maddie said looking up at London. Maddie had to catch herself as her eyes flickered across London's breasts and down to her midsection. _Easy there girl. _She thought to herself.

"Okay. I'll be down in ten minutes." London smiled and then bounded inside.

"I hope you are in your office." Maddie said as she picked up her cell phone and dialed. "Please be in your office. I need to talk to you." The dial tone on the other end reached the fourth ring. "Crap!" Her anger quickly subsided when she heard the receiver pick up.

"_Good Morning, Raven Baxter."_

"I am so glad you are in!"

"_Maddie?" _Raven said. _"Girl, it's been too long! How have you been?"_

"I've been fine. There is something really important I need to ask you. But before I do, how is Chelsea?" Maddie inquired about Raven's wife of five years.

"_She's fine. She stayed home with little Tonya." _Raven said. _"And guess what?"_

"You're gonna be Time Magazine's Woman of the Year." Maddie joked.

"_You're funny. Really funny. But no."_ Raven deadpanned. _"There's gonna be another little Baxter-Daniels running around soon."_

"Oh my God! Chelsea is pregnant again?" Maddie exclaimed.

"_Not this time."_ Raven countered.

"You?"

"_Four and a half months!"_ Raven exclaimed.

"Are you showing?"

"_I'm starting to."_ Raven said with her smile evident through the phone.

Maddie laughed. "So we're gonna get to see Raven Baxter waddling around at C.J.'s wedding!"

"_No way, girlfriend!" _Raven corrected. _"Raven Baxter does not waddle! Even pregnant, Raven Baxter struts, honey!" _They both laughed. _"But you didn't call to talk about me and my growing belly. What's on your mind?"_

"I need some advice. I am in love with somebody and I don't know how to tell them." Maddie said.

"_Wow! He must be really special for you to be calling me. What's his name?" _Raven inquired.

"London." Maddie said and then froze, allowing what she knew was going to be shock for Raven to set in.

Raven laughed. _"You managed to go out and fall in love with a guy that has the same name as your best friend. That's gonna be tough in bed calling out his-slash-her name. 'London! Oh, London!'"_ Raven continued laughing.

"No. Raven you don't get it. He is a she. She is London. I am in love with London." Maddie revealed.

"_Ah. Okay. Now we are on the same page. Excuse me while I remove my foot from my mouth." _Raven said.

"It's okay. I just don't know what to do. And I figured since you fell in love with and married your best friend, you could give me a pep talk?"

"_I'm your friend aren't I? Of course I'll help you."_ Raven said. _"Do you know how she feels?"_

"No. I can only hope."

"_Well that's a start. That's what I had in the beginning."_

"You never told me how you two managed to get together." Maddie said.

"_Oh wow! I thought I did." _Raven said. _"Well, we were in college and Chelsea started really stressing out about stuff going on in her life. I worrying about her and thinking about how I could help her. I started to realize that I just didn't want to help her; I wanted to take care of her. I told myself that I loved her, but the more I thought about her and what she was going through and what she meant to me, I realized that I was in love with her."_

"So how did you tell her?" Maddie asked.

"_Well…" _Raven chuckled at the memory. _"We got into a fight… actually it was more like she screamed at me about me telling our friend Eddie that I was worried about her. We both started crying. I went to the bathroom. After a few minutes, she came to apologize for yelling at me and… Wooo! Damn!… every time I think about that…"_

"You mean that's how you told her?" Maddie asked in a mild laugh.

"_It's more like we showed each other how we felt." _Raven said. _"Then afterwards, she was so cute. We were in the shower and she says to me 'I think I have feelings for you.' She had me forever right there."_

"Oh God! I don't know if we're… Wow!" Maddie was dumbfounded by the passionate way Raven and Chelsea's revealed their love for each other.

"_Look, not everyone does it the way we did. Actually, I don't know if anyone does it the way we did it." _Raven said. _"The point is that if she feels the same way…"_

"Which Chelsea obviously did." Maddie interrupted.

"_Obviously."_ Raven countered with a chuckle. _"If she feels the same way, there will be that moment when you look into her eyes and will know. It may not be the next time you see her or the time after that. But when the time comes, you'll see it, you'll feel it… you'll know it." _The passion with which Raven spoke overwhelmed Maddie. She wondered for a second if she had that same passion inside for Maddie. _"Has she flown in from Paris?" _Raven asked.

"Yeah. She's upstairs changing. We're going to spend the day together. Just a friendly day." Maddie said.

"_Good. Don't push it. Just be natural. If it's real, it will come to you. When I was wondering whether or not Chelsea had feelings for me, Eddie told me that the eyes are the windows to the soul. When you can, study her eyes. They don't lie. But you're an attorney. You should know that already, counselor."_

Maddie took a moment to ponder Raven's advice. "You're right. I'll take your advice. By the way, I have yet to meet your friend Eddie. He sounds like a great guy."

"_He and his wife, Gina, are coming to visit in a few weeks. You and London should come along. Shoot! I've got a call on the other line. Can you hang on a second?"_

"Sure." Maddie said as Raven clicked over. As she sat there she took in Raven's words. _The eyes are the windows to the soul. Looking into London's eyes? I can do that._ Maddie smiled to herself as she heard the phone click back over.

"_I need to take this call." _Raven announced. _"But we're flying in to town on Wednesday. I'll get together with you. Maybe the four of us can go out… get some conversation started, plant some ideas maybe?"_

"You live in New York. You're not driving?"

"_I drove down to D.C for a business meeting two weeks ago and got carsick. I don't want to take any chances." _Raven said.

"Okay. Well going out sounds great. Thank you so much Raven. Call me as soon as you get in town. Okay?"

"_Count on it. Love you Maddie."_

"I love you too. Give Chelsea my love."

"_I will. Bye."_

"Bye." Maddie hung up with Raven and smiled. She felt like this was just a matter of picking the right moment. If only she knew what was on London's mind. At the moment it wasn't for her to know. As she sat in her car and waited London to come back down, she let her mind begin to wander. Raven had put an indelible image in her head. She allowed herself to slip into a daydream. _London Tipton naked, in the shower, water cascading over her body. Mmmm. _Maddie closed her eyes and licked her lips. _London…_

It only took London a few minutes to change out of her business suit and into her casual attire. The rest of the time she spent in her room was contemplating what to do next.

"I am spending the whole day with Maddie." London wondered aloud as she paced. "What do I say? What do I do? How am I supposed to act?" London said to herself. "Now if this were a business decision I was making, what would I do?" She thought for a moment. Then an idea hit her. "Of course. That's exactly what I'd do!" She picked up the phone and dialed. "I'd speak to an adviser. That's what I'd…"

"_Good Morning, Raven Baxter."_

"Raven… It's London."

"_Wha?… Hey, London! I was just talking about you!"_

"To who?"

"_Uh… Chelsea. She's on the other line."_

"Well, look, let me not interrupt you. I can…"

"_No! We're almost done anyway." _Raven paused. _"Hang on for a sec and let me say goodbye."_

"Okay." London said as Raven clicked over. "I hope this is a good idea." London said to herself. "Sandrine is the only person besides Marion that knows. Maybe…"

"_Okay, I'm back." _Raven said. _"So how are you? Have you flown in yet?"_

"Yeah. I'm actually on my way to breakfast with Maddie."

"_How is she? I haven't talked to her in… I don't know how long!" _Raven said before thinking to herself that it had been roughly a minute since she had spoken to Maddie.

"Looking better than ever. She's actually why I called. I am having a problem and I need your help."

"_I'm all ears." _Raven said.

"Raven, Maddie is my best friend and normally I would go to her to talk about this, except, it's about her."

"_What is it?" _Raven said, hoping London's response was the same as Maddie's.

"Promise me you won't tell anybody, except Chelsea, I mean I know she's your wife." London said.

"_I promise, now spill it, L.T!" _Raven sometimes referred to London by her initials.

_All right, now or never. _London thought. "I am in love with Maddie."

"_YES!"_ Raven exclaimed, sensing that a love match would be imminent.

"I'm glad that you're happy, but how do I get from here to where you and Chelsea are?" London asked.

"_Well, you hop on 95 and head south until you see these REALLY tall buildings…"_

"Raven! I'm serious!"

"_I'm sorry I can't help it. Hormones kicking in. Being pregnant makes me goofier than usual."_

"That's okay, it just that… Wait a minute! Did you say you were pregnant?"

"_Mmm hmm. Four and a half months today."_

London squealed in excitement. "Oh my God Raven! I am so happy for you! I am going to throw you the biggest baby shower of all-time with decorations and foods and gifts that you could choke elephants on!"

"_Whatever you do don't let Chelsea hear you talking about choking elephants!"_

"Right!"

"_We'll get to me later. First, let me give you some advice that was given to me that I just gave a friend of mine. The eyes are the windows to the soul. They tell the story of the person's heart. They do not and cannot lie."_

"How do I look into her eyes with out pouncing on her? I mean I've felt like this for seven years."

"_You better demonstrate some of that discipline that you learned in martial arts training."_

"Like you demonstrated discipline with Chelsea in that bathroom?"

"_That was the passionate kindling of a new and exciting relationship!" _Raven defended herself. _"You just wish you can get Maddie in a bathroom like that."_

"Okay. I do not need to go back down to the car wet and I am not changing my underwear so I am going to say thank you for your advice and hang up now." London said with a sense of playful urgency.

"_Whoa! It's that bad, huh?" _Raven asked.

"I haven't wanted anything this bad… ever." London said with vehement passion.

"_Well go. She's waiting for you. By the way, We fly in Wednesday. Let's all four of us go out to dinner that night."_

"All right. I'd like that." London paused. "Thanks for the talk. It really helped calm me."

Raven lapsed into one of her impressions. _"Well, that's me, Chuck Woolery, trying to help you make a Love Connection."_

"You are a nutcase that I love to death." London said with a smile.

"_And this nutcase loves you too. Man, I'm hungry. I think I'm going to get a hot dog from the corner." _Raven said. _"Be sweet and I'll see you Wednesday."_

"Bye, Mommy!" London said before hanging up the phone. "She is all mine. Let's go work on scaling Mount Madeline!"

London came back down and walked up to Maddie's car. She noticed that Maddie had slid down in the seat with her eyes closed and had a warm almost sensual smile on her face. London desperately wished she were a mind reader. She stood for a moment and studied Maddie. This was the first time that she allowed herself a taste of up close and personal visual lusting for the blonde legal eagle. Her eyes trailed from that devilish smile all the way down, lingering on her bare legs, down to her three-inch heels. When the tip of Maddie's tongue peeked through her lips as she licked them, London decided that she could take no more for that moment.

She pretended to just walk up to the car as she flung the door open and plopped down in the passenger seat slamming the door behind her.

"Cheese and rice, London! You scared the crap out of me!"

"Cheese and rice?"

"Well, Chloe tells me that I curse too much. I'm trying but it's hard. People in the legal field can really piss a person off." Maddie said.

"I know what you mean. Sandrine gets on me about threatening to fire people all the time… not to their face, mind you. It just makes me feel better to say it."

"Sandrine? Is that a friend of yours back in Paris?"

"No. Sandrine… my secretary?" London said. She was met by a blank stare. "I told you about Sandrine." More silence from the driver's side. "I've never mentioned Sandrine?"

"First time." Maddie said in a slightly clipped tone.

"Sandrine is my secretary. She is the closest thing I have to a best friend in Paris. Since I spend a lot of time in the office, we talk a lot, about a lot. I guess she's more like a secre-friend."

Maddie shook her head and smiled. "Only London Tipton could come up with a word like secre-friend."

"Paris Hilton made 'frenemy' a word, so why not?" London reasoned.

Maddie chuckled. "Where do you want to eat Princess?"

"Princess. You haven't called me that in years." London fondly remembered.

Maddie looked at her best friend. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."

London returned the earnest look. "Yeah… we do." London's eyes lingered for a second on Maddie's before changing gears. "Now… to answer your question, I could go for a good hot dog."

"A hot dog? But it's a quarter to ten. Where are we gonna find a good hot dog this early in the morning."

"Nathan's." London answered.

"There aren't any Nathan's around here." Maddie said.

"But the best Nathan's on earth IS on Coney Island." London responded.

"You want to drive to New York? For a hot dog?" Maddie asked incredulously.

"No. I want to drive to New York, for a hot dog… with you." London said with a smile.

Maddie looked at the smile plastered on London's face. She wanted to tell her how impetuous it was to drive to New York until she remembered telling London that they could go anywhere they wanted.

"All right. But I need to run back to my place to change." Maddie said with a playful resignation in her voice. She cranked up the car and put it into gear. "Why do you have to be so cute?"

"It's like the man said in Trading Places, 'Breeding, Randolph. It's in the blood.'" London said doing her best Don Ameche impression. Maddie laughed and drove off.

* * *

**A couple of things. Yes, that was Raven from That's So Raven. Yes, on the show Raven does know Maddie and London**. **Remember the episode, That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana? The advice Raven gave them and the remembrance of how she and Chelsea got together came from my very first story, Thunderstorms. (It's a cheap plug, but if you haven't read it, I want you to read it and review it.) The mention of Eddie and his wife Gina came from the relationship Eddie and Gina (original character) began in the Thunderstorms sequel, The L Word. (Yes, another cheap plug! But at least I'm honest!) Last but not least, I hope you have enjoyed the story so far, but it ain't over. Chapter Five is coming up. PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Also, special shout out to That's So Productions, Warren and Rinsler Productions and Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment for the characters they own - Raven, Chelsea and Eddie. As for Gina... she's all mine.**


	5. Road Trippin

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

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**REQUITED **

_**Chapter 5**_

**Road Trippin **

Maddie pulled into the garage at her Chauncy Street condo with a million thoughts running through her mind, all of them involving London. When would she have "the talk" with London? Where would they have it? What would she say? What would they be wearing? What would London's reaction be? What would her reaction to London be? So many thoughts coursed through her brain at once that she missed the last few moments of London's conversation with her.

"… you back?" Maddie heard the last two words of London's question.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" Maddie asked.

London looked at her and furrowed her brow. "I said; when are the aliens coming to take you back?"

Maddie looked at her for a second, puzzled. "That's not what you said."

"Well if you had been listening to me you would have heard me say that this was a very nice building and I asked you how much this set you back." London repeated her inquiry as they got out of the car.

"Oh. Uh… about half a million. I got a thirty-year mortgage with a great rate." Maddie answered. "Wait till you see upstairs. But look at who I'm talking to. The bathroom in your place in Paris is probably bigger than my condo." They stepped onto the elevator on their way to Maddie's third floor condo.

"Everybody just assumes that I live in a palace." London said.

"London. You are worth $26 billion dollars. You have your own Gulfstream jet. You come into town for the week and stay in the Presidential Suite of the swankiest hotel in Boston, which by the way has your name on it. And… you're driving around in a brand new $150,000 Mercedes. And people are supposed to assume you live in a hovel?" Maddie said as they stepped off the elevator and walked to her front door.

"Money is not even close to what I'm all about these days." London said softly as Maddie opened the door and stepped aside for London to come inside.

The 1600-square foot condo was a contemporary loft-style unit with rich hardwood floors and large, oversized windows allowing natural light to cascade in. The high ceilings and open floor plan gave the one-bedroom condo a feeling of being much larger. Custom wood cabinetry adorned the kitchen along with state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances. Everything was neat and in place, indicating the meticulous nature of the inhabitant.

"This is beautiful!" London whispered in amazement. "This feels like home."

"Come on." Maddie said with a smirk. "Your place has to be way better than this."

"I might have more expensive stuff, but there's just… I don't know a warm feeling here." London stood in the middle of Maddie's place and did a slow 360-degree turn. She nodded her head. "I love this."

"Well good." Maddie smiled. "Make yourself at home. My house is your house." Maddie started toward the bedroom. "Just give me a few minutes to change and we can hit the road."

London sat down on the plush couch and sank down into the cushion. She took a deep breath. Everything smelled like Maddie. As she looked around, she imagined herself waking up and walking across the hardwood floor in her bare feet, shuffling to the fridge for a glass of orange juice.

She saw herself snuggling on the couch with Maddie in front of the fireplace. _Oh man! I just noticed the fireplace! _She thought. She then kicked her shoes off and laid back on the couch. She imagined looking up at the ceiling, feeling Maddie's blonde hair tickle the insides of her thighs. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. The scent of the blonde was intoxicating. London began to lose herself in the feelings that were inside her. She could hear Maddie calling her name. _London. London!_

"London!" Maddie calling out to her from the bedroom snapped the heiress out of her daydream.

"Yeah!" London responded.

"Look on the counter in the kitchen! I got something for you!"

"I love presents!" London said. "You know, if you keep it up, Princess is gonna make a comeback!"

"That's one of the things that made me f- FLICK A DUCK!" Maddie exclaimed to cover her near-slip of the tongue. _I almost blurted out that that made me fall for her! Be careful!_

"What's wrong?" London asked.

"Nothing. Just… grabbed the wrong jeans!" Maddie answered.

"Too tight or not tight enough?" London asked with a smirk as she reached the kitchen and saw her gift on the counter. "OOH! Banana nut muffins! I love banana nut muffins! Thank you!" London bellowed as she lifted the cellophane off of the plate of muffins and took a bite. "MMMM! These are delicious! Where did you get them?"

Maddie emerged from her bedroom seconds later wearing a pink, short sleeve top, jeans and tennis shoes. Her hair, in a ponytail that morning had been set free.

"I made them." Maddie said walking toward the kitchen. "I found a great recipe."

"Damn, Blondie!" London said when she saw Maddie.

"What? What's wrong?"

"It's what's right. If I was a dude, I wouldn't be able to concentrate." London said. She could have sworn she saw the light dim in Maddie's eyes. "Hell. What am I saying? I'm a woman and I'm finding it hard to concentrate!" London looked at Maddie. In an instant, she could have sworn that the light returned.

_Time to cast a line Maddie. _Maddie thought. "You think I look good?"

"You're kidding me right?" London chuckled. "You're the most beautiful woman I know, inside and out."

"Thank you London." Maddie smiled warmly. "That means a lot coming from one of People's Most Beautiful People in the world."

"I'm only as beautiful as the people I associate with. So I guess I am breathtakingly gorgeous today." London said with a smile.

Maddie smiled. "Come on. Let's go." They started toward the door. "I just thought of something! We don't have to go all the way to New York?"

"No?"

"NO! There's a Nathan's in Revere!" Maddie said. "Why spend all that time on the road together when we can spend the time eating and playing together."

"I like the way your wheels turn, Fitzpatrick." London said. "After you."

"No I insist. After you." Maddie said, extending her hand toward the door. London smiled, pivoted on one foot and headed for the door. Maddie tilted her head to one side as she watched London walk toward the door. _I hate to see you go, but I love to see you walk away._

The two women hopped into Maddie's car and headed for Revere, a small town about 15 minutes north of town. Minutes into their ride, Maddie's cell phone rang. She checked her caller ID. It was C.J.

"Hey C.J.! What's up?"

"_My mom just got into to town and she'd love to see you. What are you doing for lunch?"_

"Oh!" Maddie groaned in disappointment. "London and I are headed up to Revere for lunch."

"_You don't waste any time do you? You have got it bad!" _C.J. said.

"You're absolutely right. We are gonna have a ball!"

"_Ha! I can say anything I want to you right now cause she's sitting right next to you." _C.J. said ominously.

"That's not funny, CODY!" Maddie said.

"_I bet she's sitting in the car with a short skirt on… and you're glancing over at her creamy thighs."_

"See you're wrong!" Maddie shot back.

"_Then she probably has some tight jeans on, hugging her body. Cute little face pursed up as her hair blows in the wind."_

"I'm gonna tell your wife-to-be that you're picking on me!"

"_What are we four? So have you kissed her yet?"_

"You are the most immature…"

"_I'm messing with you! Lighten up! Go have some fun with London. You deserve it and oh… why don't the two of you have dinner with us tonight. It'll be me, Barbara, my mom, Zack and Max."_

"I'll ask London." Maddie said, glancing over at London. "Dinner with the Martin clan tonight?"

"Absolutely." London replied.

"Yes." Maddie said.

"_Great. We'll meet up at the hotel at 7:30. And Maddie… behave yourself." _C.J. said laughing.

"You sonofa…" He hung up before she could complete her insult. Maddie closed her phone and smiled.

"I take it he gives you a hard time." London said.

"Every chance he gets." Maddie said.

The rest of the trip to Revere was spent mindlessly chattering on about everything and nothing. They promised each other they would only answer their phones for family and friends – no work related calls were allowed. They got to Nathan's and ate, and then some. Maddie polished off two dogs with everything while London took down a chili dog. They headed back to the city with a full belly and an afternoon ahead of them.

"Now don't go lighting my car up on the way back to Boston." Maddie said.

"What do you mean?" London asked.

"You just had a chili dog. Fart smells tend to linger in leather." Maddie deadpanned.

"Shut up!" London playfully hit Maddie on the arm. "Just don't talk too much on the way back. Sauerkraut and onion is no one's best friend."

"So what do you want to do this afternoon?" Maddie asked.

"You know what?" London thought about it for a moment. "Let's just hang out at your place and talk until dinner."

"You'll have to change for dinner."

"There's a mall down the street from your place. I know we can find something to wear to dinner in there." London said.

"All right. My place it is." Maddie mashed down on the accelerator and moved into the fast lane. "I just bought Wonder Woman 3 on DVD."

"I love Kate Beckinsale! She's so hot." London said.

Maddie's internal antenna stood straight up. _What have we here? _"When you say hot, do you mean hot as in she's hot for a woman or hot as in you'd do her hot."

"Hot as in wanting to get tied up in her golden lasso and having to tell the truth hot." London confessed.

"Huh. I guess you do learn something new every day." Maddie said.

"Like you said earlier, we've got a lot of catching up to do." London said with a loaded tone. "Uh… Maddie? We've got company."

Maddie looked up in her rear view mirror. "DAMNIT! That's the second time today! SHIT!" The bright lights of the Massachusetts State Police cruiser signaled to Maddie to pull over. "Great. Eighty in a fifty-five. There's two-hundred more dollars."

"Don't worry." London said as they pulled over. "I've got a plan. Sandrine taught me this one. Just play along." London watched intently as the state trooper slowly exited his vehicle. "Yes. Male officer. It's all good." She whispered. As he got closer to the car, London leaned over, brought her lips to within mere millimeters of Maddie's ear and began stroking Maddie's thigh.

"What the fuck?" Maddie said under her breath as she saw the officer enter her field of view. All alarms went off in her head as the object of her desire was all over her.

"Baby, are we gonna get home soon?" London whispered into Maddie's ear but loud enough for the officer to hear. Maddie sat frozen. _Holy shit London! Get off me before I jump you in front of him! _Maddie thought. "Baby?" London sexily whined sending a shiver through Maddie's entire body.

"Soon, baby. Real soon." Maddie answered.

"Miss, do you know why I stopped you?" The trooper asked.

"Yes. I was doing eighty in a fifty-five." Maddie replied flatly.

"Eighty-three to be exact. License and registration please." The trooper said.

_London, for godsake! You have no idea what you are doing to me! _Maddie thought. _Maddie, please don't look at me! This is hard enough as it is! Damn I wish he would go away so we could do this for real! _London thought as she continued to hang on to Maddie.

"And ma'am…" The trooper started to address London. "Aren't you… I saw you in People magazine. London… London…"

"Tipton." London answered.

"Right! London Tipton. You are much prettier in person." The trooper said.

"I'm sorry officer. I made her drive fast to get home. I haven't seen her in weeks… if you know what I mean." London poured on the charm. London's last statement poured gasoline onto an already raging fire inside Maddie.

"Uh… right. You ladies sit tight for a minute. I'll be right back." The trooper retreated to his car. Maddie snapped her head around to face London.

"Are you out of your fucking mind? What are you doing?" Maddie whisper-yelled. It wasn't that she didn't like what was happening. It was the circumstances.

"Come on! Look at him! We've got him on the ropes! You are so getting out of this ticket!" London said.

"London! I got a ticket this morning going back to the office to meet you! He's gonna run my license and see that. I won't be surprised if he impounds the car!" Maddie said before dropping her head onto the steering wheel in frustration.

_You got a ticket for me? _London thought. "Two tickets in one day… for me?" She said.

Maddie looked over at her. London had a look of surprise and warmth on her face. What she said next rocked Maddie to her core. "Kiss me."

"WHAT?" Maddie blurted out loudly without thinking.

"I am going to get you out of this ticket but you have got to trust me." London said looking in the rear view mirror at the police cruiser. "He is going to get out of that car in a few seconds and when he does, he has got to know how desperate we are to get home and at each other so when that car door opens, let's get it on." _London, you are going way too far on this one. But I can't help it. I am going to explode if I don't._

"So… just… kiss you." Maddie said haltingly as she stared at the cruiser in the mirror. _I did not want our first kiss to be like this. But… she is determined to get me out of this ticket. Okay, breathe. You can do this. You have had daydreams about it. Just… think of it as practice… for the real and true thing._

"Just lay it on me like a starving man on his first meal in years." London replied. She looked deeply into Maddie's eyes and there it was. The cruiser door opened. London licked her lips seductively and leaned in. "Make it good."

"No problem." Maddie replied with a throaty tone before pressing her lips to London's. The escalation from a pressing of the lips to hungry lip kisses took mere seconds. The hungry lip kisses grew into hungry lip kisses with a hint of tongue. Those kisses morphed into French kisses. By the time the trooper had returned to the driver's side of the car, they were engaged in a full makeout session, hands roaming everywhere. The line between playacting and reality was murky to say the least.

"Ladies?" The trooper said. He then loudly cleared his throat. "LADIES!" Maddie and London snapped out of their makeout session and untangled themselves from one another. "Thank you. Miss Fitzpatrick, I am going to issue you a warning. There is no way I am going to give you a ticket and spoil your… mood. Just take it easy on the pedal. And Miss Tipton… an autograph for my wife, please? I'll tell her… I met you at the mall."

"Sure." London reached across Maddie to scribble her name on the blank note pad.

"You ladies have a good day." The officer retreated to his cruiser for the final time.

* * *

**I am a fan of pro wrestling. As Good Ol' J.R., Jim Ross, would say, "**_**Get comfortable folks, this one is gonna be an incredible match if I've ever seen one!**_**" But you know me. The fastest way to get from point A to point B is a straight line. I don't like straight lines. We're gonna have a little fun. Wanna take a ride with me? Let's go! PLEASE REVIEW!**


	6. Touched By An Angel

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

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**REQUITED**

_**Chapter 6**_

**Touched By An Angel **

(Maddie's POV)

_Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Oh… my… God! What the hell just happened here! Was I just making out with London Tipton? Oh… my… God! All right! You have got to stop saying that! How the hell do we drive home now? What do I say? Is it time? No! I got it! I play it off! That's it! This was supposed to be the big "Ha Ha! I got out of a ticket caper!" That's how I'll play it. Yeah. Play it off, crack a couple of jokes. That will work. It's got to. I am not telling London I love her on a road somewhere between Boston and Revere! Yes. Just play it off. Be cool._

Meanwhile, inside London's head…

(London's POV)

_She is even better than I thought! WOOOOO! I am still tingling all over, especially down there… mmmmm! I shouldn't have done that! Now what do I do? This is not the time and place for what I need to say. I just could not help myself. She looks so damn… AAAAGGGGHHHH! All right. Calm down and focus. This was supposed to be a playacting job to get out of a ticket. That's how you do it London. Just watch the police car go away and then look at Maddie and bust out laughing like it was the greatest caper in the world. O… kaaaaaaaayyyyyyy… NOW!_

London watched the state police cruiser as it pulled away. She then dropped her head and cut her eyes over at Maddie who had just turned her head to look at London. The dark haired cutie then lifted and turned her head to fully return the look from Maddie. She then exploded into a full belly laugh. Maddie attempted to suppress a smile for several seconds before succumbing to the laughing bug and letting loose with a belly laugh of her own.

"Did you see the look on his face?" London said laughing. "He couldn't wait to let us go!"

Maddie replied by mocking the officer."Uh… right. You ladies sit tight for a minute. I'll be right back." Maddie continued laughing.

"I know, right!" London said. "I bet he's gonna go to an abandoned parking lot somewhere and beat off!" Maddie was now laughing so hard that she was turning red in the face and holding her stomach.

"Stop!" Maddie put her hand up and started waving as she continued cracking up. "I… can't breathe!"

London cranked her comedy routine up a notch by simulating male masturbation. "Uhh… two… women… making… out… in… a… car… UNHHHH!" Maddie was now laughing so hard that no sound was coming out. Tears were streaming down her face. London started laughing at herself and Maddie's reaction to her. Their attempt at diffusing the attention from the tension of their kiss worked. It took Maddie several minutes to collect herself enough to put the car in gear and continue driving.

"I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard." Maddie said, still wiping the tears from her eyes. "My jaw hurts from laughing… you're a good kisser, Princess."

"You're not so bad yourself, Blondie." London replied. "Hey! We could do one of those videos and call it _Office Hotties Gone Wild_!" London drew another laugh out of Maddie.

"What are they circulating in the cabin of your plane? Cause it's not air!" Maddie cracked.

"Laughing gas mixed with vaporized cocaine." London shot back. Maddie began cracking up again. She slowed the car down and started pulling over.

"That's it!" Maddie exclaimed. "I can't drive with you cracking jokes like that! You take the wheel!" She stopped the car on the side of the highway and hopped out. London shook her head and climbed over the gear shifter into the driver's seat. Maddie hopped back in and London took off down the road.

The two ladies continued cracking jokes and laughing all the way back to Boston. They arrived back at Maddie's apartment in the highest of spirits. Maddie walked in followed by London. Maddie tossed her keys on the kitchen counter and opened the refrigerator.

"Want something to drink?" Maddie asked. "I've got… soda, orange juice, cran-grape juice, water…"

"Got any beer?" London asked.

"A woman after my own heart." Maddie said with a smile. "Here you go."

London took the bottle from Maddie. "This is my favorite brand. We must have been separated at birth."

"Well then, let's get you drunk so I can take advantage of you." Maddie said. She quickly walked into the living room so London was unable to see her face after her statement.

"If I'm gonna get with you, I'm gonna be stone cold sober." London shot back.

"Kick your shoes off. You're home now." Maddie said.

"I still can't believe C.J. is getting married!" London said.

"I know. Time has really gone by fast. It seems like just yesterday that he and Barbara started dating." Maddie said. "I'm telling you wouldn't be surprised if I get another invitation soon. Zack and Max are really getting serious."

"Good call, counselor." London said without thinking.

"Are you serious? What do you know?" Maddie exclaimed.

"Crap!" London said. "I… said to much already."

"Well since you already started spilling…" Maddie said as she hopped up and plopped down next to London on the sofa. "Keep spilling!"

"Maddie… you have to swear on your life you won't say a word." London said in a serious tone. Maddie nodded her head. "I'm serious. I will kick your litigious ass if you tell anybody what I'm about to tell you."

"Ooh. Say that again." Maddie joked.

"I will kick your litigious ass." London repeated.

"Oh, Big Momma!" Maddie said in mock lust. "Okay, I swear."

"Zack is gonna propose to Max at the rehearsal dinner!" London said in an excited tone.

"OH MY GOD! Did he tell you this morning?" Maddie said.

"Yeah. Right before I saw you." London answered.

"Wow! Two Martins getting married! Now if Carey gets hitched they'll hit the trifecta!" Maddie said. "I am so happy for them."

"Me too." London said with a bit of resignation leaking into her voice.

"London, what's wrong?" Maddie picked up on London's change in tone.

"It's nothing." London said as she dropped her head.

"It's not nothing. What's wrong?" Maddie ducked her head trying to look London in the eye. London lifted her head and began to speak.

"I just… Well, I thought that by this time in my life I would be in love and married and have kids and it's just… every now and then I think about it." London said softly.

"Well you know what you need to work on." Maddie said. _I'm up for all three if you're interested. _Maddie thought.

_Well I've got one in the bank; I just haven't cashed it in yet. _London thought. "What about you? Are you happy like this?"

"Oh, yeah." Maddie said sarcastically. "I get up before the sun comes up. I work sixteen hours a day, lose track of days of the week, haven't been out on a date in over a year." Maddie rattled off. "This… sucks… ass. I want to be head over heels in love. I want my heart to pound and skip beats. I want to lose myself in someone's eyes. I want to tingle when they touch me. I want a massage. You could bounce a quarter off my neck, it's so tight from stress."

"You done did it now." London said with a sudden lilt in her voice as she stood up. "Slide over here."

"What are you doing?" Maddie turned her head and looked up at London.

"I studied massage therapy when I was in college and I am two classes away from getting my certification. It was all part of my therapist's plan to get me to think about and help others." Maddie looked at her reluctantly. "Trust me. I will have you feeling better in no time."

Maddie gave herself a pep talk before she answered London. _All right Maddie. It would be a friendly massage. At the first sign of trouble, you will excuse yourself and go to the bathroom to pee. You will be relaxed but not "enjoy" enjoy it. You will not get turned on like you did the last time you got a massage. Don't get turned on. Is that clear? It is? Good._

"Of course I trust you." Maddie said in a matter-of-fact tone before sliding down to the end of the couch, sitting upright.

The young attorney wasn't the only one that needed a self-sustaining pep talk. _London Leah Tipton… behave yourself. You are her masseuse. You will be professional. You will limit yourself to the areas of stress. 'But all of her is stressed!' Shut up, Trixie! _(Trixie is London's sexually charged alter ego) _Okay, just breathe and behave… breathe and behave… breathe and behave…_

"All right, you ready?" London asked in a perky voice. _Breathe and behave…_

"Ready, Captain." Maddie replied. _Don't get turned on… Don't get turned on…_

London placed her hands on the curve of Maddie's shoulders. _Okay. So far so good. _Maddie thought. London pressed her thumbs into Maddie's flesh and began to slowly work the taut muscles.

"Wow! You normally can't feel tension out here. It's normally closer to the center. You really need to relax." London said.

_Sex relaxes me. Are you up for a quickie? _Maddie's mind queried. "I promise I will." Maddie said as London began working toward Maddie's trapezius muscle. As London began to massage that muscle, Maddie let out a guttural moan that got London's undivided attention. "Oooooh… my… God… Lon… don…" London bit her bottom lip as Maddie's purring went straight from her lips to London's center. "That… feels… so… goooood."

_FUCK! _London exclaimed in her head. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. _It was only a minute or so into the massage and London's hands were already tingling, but it wasn't from fatigue, it was from anticipation. "Glad you like it." London said.

"Mmmm… if I had the money I'd hire you full-time." Maddie continued to purr. Her thoughts at the moment were purely innocent. She was too lost in the sensation of her neck feeling better than it had been in six months. London, on the other hand, was not faring so well. Actually, her body began to fare a little too well. She felt a familiar tingle at her core as she kneaded Maddie's neck. Each deep press into the blonde's stressed musculature elicited a relieved moan of release that was verbally pinning London to the wall. One particular press nearly caused London to lose it.

"OOOHHH… SHIIIIT!" Maddie cried out in a way that one would in the throes of passion.

"Are you all right?" London said in a shaky voice. She stopped and leaned over to see if she had done something wrong.

"Yeah." Maddie said in a soft voice. She placed her hand on top of London's, which was once again resting on Maddie's outer shoulder. "Please… keep going. You're doing great."

_But I'm not. _London thought. She knew she had to stop. Her mind was screaming _No mas! No mas! or No more! No more! _But her body was subconsciously willing her to continue. She picked up where she left off, kneading and pressing into the soft flesh of Maddie's shoulders. Her fingers successfully finding, manipulating and taming every knotted muscle fiber they found. Maddie continued purring in relaxed agreement. That purring. That low, sensual, tingle-inducing, panty-moistening purring.

Every purr traveled on the sound waves flowing into London's ear and down her body, stopping dead in the middle. London tried to remain as perfectly still as possible from the waist down. Any movement would draw her mind's attention to the fact that she was wet, no, soaking wet, with no signs of letting up any time soon. She felt Maddie's neck muscles loosening under her deft touch and knew that the end of this torturously erotic episode was at hand.

London's mind was ready to call it quits. Her body, her will, however, had other ideas.

"You're gonna want to let me do your back as well." London said. Her curiosity had taken over. Her libido mutinied against the rational part of her brain. "Got to keep it loose to help your stability."

"Okay. Whatever you say." Maddie agreed. In her mind this wasn't nearly as bad as she had imagined. London had worked out the tightness in her neck. She felt better than she had in months and she was able to suppress any lustful feelings she had for London. She was gonna be all right. She leaned forward to allow London access to her lower back.

"No. That's not gonna work. You'll need to go lie down on your bed." London said. _Time to kick it up a notch. BAM! _London's inner sexpot, Trixie exclaimed. London sometimes felt, at times like this, that there were two halves of her struggling for dominance, like the two parts of Niki, from Heroes, one of her favorite, and few, TV shows that she watches. Trixie was winning.

"C - Come again?" Maddie stammered.

"We need to go to your bedroom so you can lie down. Massaging your back like that is not going to work. Now come on." London said as she picked Maddie up by the arm. Maddie began to shuffle into the bedroom.

Maddie's mind started up again. _Okay Madeline. You were fine before, so you can be fine now. She just needs more access, that's all. You've made it this far. You'll make it unscathed. _They reached the bedroom. Maddie sat down on the edge of the bed awaiting instructions that she knew were forthcoming. London began surveying the room, looking for something.

"You have any massage oil?" London asked.

Maddie thought for a second. "No." She paused. "I have some lotion. Will that work?"

"That'll be fine." London said.

"Bathroom sink." Maddie said pointing to her master bathroom. London went to retrieve the lotion and returned a moment later.

"All right… I think we're ready." London said. Maddie smiled and nodded. She turned around and got up on the bed on all fours to position herself to lie down on her stomach in the middle of the bed.

"Uh-uh-uh." London said, shaking her head. "Off with the shirt first." The inner London was trying to make a comeback. _What the hell are you doing? This is gonna go to far._

_Why did I know she was gonna say that? _Maddie questioned herself. Maddie sat back on her haunches and slowly lifted the pink top over her head and tossed it to the floor. She had her back to London. She sat motionless for a moment, almost purposely allowing London to take this image in. She surprised herself in doing so. Seconds later she slowly lowered herself onto her stomach, positioning herself toward the right side of the bed, turning her head to the left, away from London. She was afraid if she looked at her, the urge to flip over onto her back would be too powerful to resist.

Maddie laid there expecting to hear the squeeze of the lotion bottle, London rubbing her hands together and the feel of her nimble fingers kneading into her lower back. What she felt was the bed beginning to dip as if someone were getting in. She felt a knee nestle against her upper right thigh followed quickly by another knee against her upper left thigh. She was being straddled. She felt the weight of a body gently settling above her, slightly pushing down into her. She felt a crotch nestled right at the bottom of the curve of her backside.

Maddie was afraid to make a sound. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, something overtly sexual and profane would come out. She remained quiet; save for the shaky breath she drew in an attempt to slow her now rapid, hummingbird-like heartbeat.

"You comfy?" London asked.

_You have no idea how comfortable I am. _"Yeah. I'm fine." Maddie said in a whisper. Any louder and her voice would have cracked like delicate porcelain. "L.T.", as Raven called her, had one more heartbeat-skipping surprise for Maddie. As the beautiful blonde laid there, she felt fingers in the middle of her back and before she could even think about uttering a protest, she felt the hooks of her bra being unfastened. So much for slowing down her breathing.

Everything inside her wanted to flip over, pull the heiress, her best friend, down to her and do the one thing with London that she had yet to do. She was already head over heels in love. Her heart already skipped beats when she was near. She was getting her massage. She simply wanted to lose herself in London's eyes.

London worked some lotion into her hands and started at the top of Maddie's back, working her way down, drinking in every square inch of her soft, supple skin as she did. More lotion. Her fingers probed, coaxing all the stress and anxiety out of the tense muscles. The closer she came to the curve of Maddie's back, the more tense she became. She could imagine her tongue dragging along the center line of Maddie's body, settling nicely at the base of that valley, that magnificent curve that lay in front of her. She felt her own heart pounding violently inside her chest. _She's starting again. _London thought as she applied a little more lotion to her hands. _That damned moaning! I can't take much more of this._

Maddie's body might have been on the bed, but her mind was floating in mid-air. She was nearly drunk with arousal. She wanted to push her backside into London so bad. She wanted to feel London grind down into her. She wanted to feel London's warm breath on her neck. She wanted to feel her taut yet soft body on top of hers.

London's inner self was begging for Maddie to suddenly flip over and take her, overwhelm her. The kisses in the car were just a teasing appetizer of the succulent feast that awaited them. She had arrived at the small of Maddie's back. She pressed her thumbs into the small of her back on either side of Maddie's spine. London looked down at her hands as they worked. There they were. Thumbholes. Two small indentations in Maddie's lower back.

She had to. She couldn't resist. They were there for the taking. London continued to work the muscles of Maddie's lower back. The moaning stopped. Just breathing. One time. That's all London needed for the moment. That's all Trixie needed for the moment. She placed her thumbs gently into the indentations and gingerly gripped Maddie's waist and then slowly began kneading. This move was not in any textbook London had read, any class that London had taken.

There was no moaning. London did hear Maddie clearly and distinctly draw breath between her teeth and bury her face into her pillow. That was it. To her ears, Maddie might has well have tapped out in submission. Trixie had won. She had held off her politically correct alter ego, London and she had just defeated Maddie and was just seconds away from enjoying the spoils of her victory. Then London made her final comeback.

"Okay." London said softly. "You're done." London reluctantly slid off of Maddie and stood over her, admiring her handy work. "Oh, here." London leaned over and slowly re-hooked her bra.

Maddie slowly lifted her head. _Another few seconds and I would have given myself to her. _"You are wonderful." Maddie said with that now all too familiar purr in her voice. "I haven't felt this good in a long time." Maddie sat up looking at London.

"I told you…" London's voice began to take on a purr of its own. "I'd have you feeling better in no time." _Oh my God! Get the hell out of this room now London! _"I'm just gonna… go wash my hands so we can get going. We've got… dresses to buy."

"Right! Right. Dresses." Maddie said. London started toward the bedroom door. "London… you can use this bathroom."

"S'ok. I'll use this one out here." London crossed the threshold, closing her eyes in relief that she was out of the danger zone. She walked toward the guest bathroom near the front door slowly rubbing her hands together and looking at them, still tingling from touching Maddie.

Maddie sat on the edge of her bed staring at the empty threshold where London had stood seconds earlier. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and licked her lips. _If only London knew how close she was_… Maddie thought as she stood up to go to her bathroom.

London stepped into the guest bathroom and closed the door behind her. She turned the faucet on and began soaping her hands. She stared intently at the image looking back at her in the mirror. If she was smoldering when she got off the plane, then the massage ignited her. She ran her hands under the cool water, imagining the door behind her easing open, hands wrapping around her waist. Kisses being planted on her neck. The water shuts off; hands are dried. She can feel Maddie's breath on her neck. She closes her eyes. _Maddie…_

Maddie went into her bathroom to freshen up for their afternoon. She stepped out of her jeans and her underwear and stood in the middle of her bathroom. She looked down at her panties on the floor and visually confirmed what she already knew. She brought her hand down to her center. One touch made her shiver. Wetness. _London did this. _

London slipped her hand inside the unbuttoned waist of her jeans. The gasp caught in the back of her throat. The touch was light. The pace was slow. All nerve endings were on the highest of high alerts. She was as swollen and wet as she had ever remembered. Each circle with her fingers drew another halting gasp. Head thrown back. Back flat against the door. _Maddie…_

Maddie sat at her vanity. Naked. Eyes closed. Fingers dancing. Glistening slickness. If only she would walk in. Hands cupping breasts; joining in the dance. The burn was intensifying. Nipples erect. Pinching. Rolling. Fingers slowly pressing inside. _My God… London…_

London's hand found its way inside her shirt. Caressing sensitive nipples. _Her warm mouth… Please…_ Fingers sliding slowly in and out. Heart is pounding. Gasps are ragged. _Need release… Maddie…_

She laid down on the rug in front of the bathtub. Head all the way back. Fingers sliding all the way in. _London, please walk in on me… _Breathing is labored. Chest is heaving. Heart is palpitating. _Oh…god, baby please… yes… almost…_

Jeans are around ankles. Top is on the floor. Fingers dipping and swirling. _I need you so bad… _The sensation is almost unbearable. The build-up is intense. The release is imminent. _Ma… ddie… I'm… gonna…_

_LONDON!_

_MADDIE!_

They both collapse on the floor of their respective bathrooms. The tension of the massage was simply too much to bear. That release was necessary. That release was overdue. That release was only just the beginning.

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**Sorry it took so long to update. I hope it was worth the wait. See you in a few days with chapter 7. Thank you and PLEASE REVIEW.**


	7. Reunion

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

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**REQUITED**

**Chapter 7**

**Reunion **

London began to gather herself as she sat on the toilet lid. Her face was still flushed, her skin was still warm to the touch, but her heart rate had begun to decelerate. It wasn't the first time she had touched herself thinking about Maddie, but it was the first time she had touched herself thinking about Maddie after being in Maddie's presence. How would she face her now? But, London thought to herself, Maddie didn't know what she did in that bathroom. For all she knows, Maddie did the same thing in her bedroom or bathroom.

But what if Maddie was in the living room or the kitchen? She could have heard what was going on. The wheels began turning in London's head. _Hot dogs. That's it. I've been in the bathroom so long because the hot dog didn't agree with me! Genius! _London gave herself one more once-over in the mirror before slowly opening the bathroom door. She glanced into the kitchen then the living room. Maddie was nowhere to be found. London walked over to the couch and flopped down. She leaned back and draped her left arm over her eyes. This was going to be a long evening.

Maddie sat on the floor in her bathroom contemplating what had just taken place. London was the only woman that could make her feel the way that she felt. What did London think about all of her moaning and purring? How uncomfortable did she make her best friend feel? Was London uncomfortable at all?

She let those questions linger in the air as she stood up and gathered her clothes before walking into the bedroom. After putting her clothes back on and checking herself in her full-length mirror, she walked out of her bedroom, ready to hit the mall in search of dresses for dinner with the Martins.

Maddie walked into the living room and saw the back of London's head as she sat on the sofa. As she got closer she saw that London was reclined, arm draped over her eyes, presumably in thought. She walked around to the front of the sofa just in time to see London subconsciously adjust her body. London was sound asleep.

The beautiful attorney studied her equally beautiful best friend as she slept. It was as peaceful as she had ever seen London. Thinking back to their youth, she couldn't help but smile. As she gazed upon London's face, she remembered when London had an attack of insomnia and everyone in the hotel tried to help her sleep, only to discover that a diamond that had worked its way underneath her mattress had caused her sleeplessness. Maddie silently chuckled at the absurdity of the "Princess and The Pea" situation, but that was HER London.

She remembered the unsuccessful, but funny times she attempted to work with London. Once at the Cluck Bucket and once at the boutique London opened in the hotel. Maddie could still hear London, "I'm gonna put purses over there and shoes over there!" Another warm smile crossed her lips. As she looked down at London's sleeping form she decided that she didn't have the heart to wake her. But there was still the matter of the dresses for dinner. Maddie then had an idea. She blew a kiss to London then walked into her bedroom to make a call.

London slowly came to life as she blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the late afternoon light coming in through the oversized windows of the living room. She was disoriented but could still make out the sound of pages of a book or a magazine turning. She rolled over to her left and as her eyes focused, she could make out Maddie sitting across from her thumbing through the latest edition of Entertainment Weekly. Maddie didn't notice that London had stirred until she heard her voice.

"Did I fall asleep?" London asked, groggily stretching her sleepiness away.

Maddie looked up from her magazine. "Yeah." She said softly. "You were out for about four hours."

"Four hours?" London said. Hearing the length of her nap snapped her to attention. "What time is it?"

"Going on five." Maddie said nonchalantly.

"Five o'clock! Oh my God! Maddie! We have to go to the mall, and get dresses and get ready for dinner…"

"Slow down, Princess Running Mouth. I've got all of that taken care of." Maddie said calmly.

"What are you talking about?" London said in an irritated tone.

"Go look in my bedroom." Maddie said.

_Last time I was in there, it drove me into the bathroom. _London thought. She stood up and stretched the remainder of her sleep away. The stretching and the sound that accompanied it captivated the live audience of one that witnessed it. Maddie watched London as she began walking toward the bedroom. Maddie stood up and followed her. _What an ass she's got on her. _Maddie thought as she watched London walk. _I don't believe this! I'm turning into Barry Levesque!_

London reached the threshold to the room and gasped. "It's beautiful! Where did you…"

"Let's just say it's a good thing that one of our best friends is a world-renowned fashion designer with her own label and a boutique that just opened in Boston." Maddie said.

"Raven?" London queried.

"You only wear designer stuff, right? So why not the best." Maddie said. Lying on the bed was a Ravenesque original, black sleeveless dress that tied around the neck and would hit London mid-thigh. Next to the dress was a pair of simple black heels. "And I thought that this would go nicely with it." Maddie held out a thin silver herringbone necklace with a single princess cut diamond pendant. "I bought it but I've only worn it once."

"I… I don't know what to say." London was in shock over the thought that Maddie put into picking her outfit. It would have been the exact outfit she would have picked. "How much do I owe you?"

"Not one red cent. This is what friends do for each other. Call it a homecoming gift." Maddie said.

London felt the onset of tears stinging her eyes. She was touched by Maddie's gesture. "This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me." London whispered as tears began to fall. Maddie wiped away several of her own tears that fell. Then, as payback for London's earlier comedy show, Maddie picked this moment of poignancy to even the score.

"You're my best friend Cal!" Maddie said in her best Ricky Bobby from Talladega Nights voice. "Shake and Bake!" Maddie offered her fist for London to pound just like Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly did in the movie.

London chuckled between tears. "Shake and Bake." She said as she returned the fist pound. "Can I be Shake?"

Maddie thought back to the image of London walking into the bedroom. "Yeah. You can definitely be Shake. Now why don't you shower up and when you come out, I'll do your hair… unless you have a special stylist or something you want to use…"

"No." London said with a smile. "I'd love for you to do my hair."

"I put some towels on the edge of the tub for you." Maddie said.

"Thanks." London said, before suddenly grabbing Maddie and embracing her. "I love you. Thank you." They both closed their eyes and inhaled, taking in each other's scent, wishing that this embrace could lead to more. But not before the talk. They weren't ready for it yet, but they were paving the way.

"You're welcome. I love you too." Maddie smiled. "Now go." Maddie broke the embrace. "We've got less than two hours before we have to get out of here and you know how you are."

"How do you know that I haven't changed?" London said. Maddie simply raised an eyebrow and gave her a 'you're kidding, right?' look. "Right. I'm goin' right now."

"Call me if you need anything. I'll be in the living room." Maddie said.

_How about your tongue as my loofah? Trixie, that's enough! _"I should be able to find everything." London then cupped and lifted her breasts. "What are these again?"

Maddie began laughing. "Go take your shower, you… nutjob!" London laughed before retreating to the bathroom and closing the door. "Oh I am so in love with her it's ridiculous." Maddie mumbled to herself as she left the bedroom.

About 40 minutes later, London emerged from the bedroom. Maddie immediately felt the trip hammer inside her chest thump rapidly when she laid eyes on her.

"My God in Heaven." Maddie said. "Angels DO walk among us."

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment." London said with a wry smile.

"You should." Maddie said. "I should have gotten you an ugly dress. Nobody's gonna even notice me."

"Whatever. You're just fishing for a compliment. Well, I'm not giving you one you sexy blonde bombshell you." London deadpanned. "Now go get showered and changed."

"What about your hair?" Maddie inquired.

"I commandeered some mousse and a brush…" London held up the two items. "You can play with my hair some other time." _Like the morning after. _She thought.

"All right. Give me about 20 minutes." Maddie hopped up and jogged into her bedroom.

Roughly thirty minutes later, Maddie made her entrance into the living room. The only other set of jaws in the room dropped open at the first sight of her. She wore a strapless sun-kissed gold colored dress, reminiscent of Kate Hudson's dress in _How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days_, which fell several inches above the knee. She wore matching three and a half inch heels. Gold bangles and a simple gold locket necklace completed the ensemble.

"Wow." London said.

"You like?" Maddie did a quick twirl where she stood.

"Wow." London repeated.

"Kate Hudson was my inspiration. I don't look like Big Bird, do I?" Maddie worried.

"Wow." London seemed to be stuck in neutral.

"Would you stop saying 'Wow.' And say something else!" Maddie exclaimed.

It was at this moment that London's mental filter clogged and let raw truth pass through her lips.

"At this moment, you are the most breathtaking woman I have ever seen." _Please tell me that I thought that and didn't just say it…_

Maddie was pleasantly stunned at London's uncensored review of her appearance. _Is now the time? _Maddie thought. _But we're going out to dinner. You can't drop a bomb like that and then go eat. AAAARRRGGGHHHH! We have got to get this timing thing down._

"Thank you." Maddie said, a crimson blush beginning to spread across her face. "I didn't feel that way until you said it." Maddie looked at her watch. "Well, we better get going."

"Not before I get a picture." London pulled out her cell phone. Maddie smiled and posed. London snapped the picture then held her hand out. Maddie took the cue and reached in her evening bag for her cell phone. London took another picture of Maddie. They then switched roles and London posed for her two pictures.

"All right. Let's roll." Maddie said. The two ladies left the apartment and hopped into Maddie's car. In the interest of hairstyle preservation, Maddie put the top up on her car before they exited the garage.

"I can't wait to see Max and Barbara and Carey." London said.

"I haven't seen Carey in almost two years." Maddie said. "She's gonna kill me for not coming to her show."

"We should do that. Go see her show." London said.

"But you live in Paris." Maddie said.

"Well… I am really thinking about coming back to the states for good."

"Really? Where are you moving? L.A? Chicago? New York?"

"Boston. I'm coming home." London announced.

Maddie's heart did cartwheels. The smile Maddie had on her face was indescribably joyous. London's insides also flipped for joy. She had contemplated coming home for over a year but spending time with Maddie cemented it. There was a chunk of her life that was missing and in this day, for the first time in seven years, she felt whole again.

"I… Where are you gonna live? The Tipton?" Maddie asked.

"No. I saw a cute building that would be perfect for me." London said.

"Where?" Maddie asked.

"42 Chauncy Street." London said.

"That's my building!" Maddie said. "You want to move into my building?"

"I'd make you an offer for your place if it wouldn't put you out on the street."

"My place doesn't say 'London Tipton'."

"It might not say 'London Tipton' but it feels like 'Londie'."

"Londie?" Maddie inquired.

"I've never had a nickname… I mean besides derogatory ones like 'Princess' or my personal favorite 'Rich Bitch'…"

"It's not derogatory when I call you 'Princess' is it?" Maddie sheepishly asked.

"No. I love it when you call me that. I just… I've always wanted a nickname."

"So you came up with Londie?"

"Yeah. I kind of like it… Londie." London said.

"It's cute. I've just always liked the way London rolls off the tongue… London." Maddie said with a little emphasis on London's name.

"Well since you put it that way, maybe I'll stick with London." London said. _Was it just me or was the way she said my name beyond sexy? _She thought.

They continued toward the hotel in silence for a few minutes. Maddie broke the stalemate by turning on the radio. It was tuned to her favorite station, Mix 98.5.

(Radio DJ begins to talk over beginning chords of the song)

_**This woman is coming to the TD Banknorth Garden on April 30th.. Beantown is the fifth stop on the North American leg of her world tour. Here's a classic from 2007. Pink. U + Ur Hand. Mix 98 point 5…**_

_**Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh  
Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh  
Check it out  
Going out  
On the late night  
Looking tight  
Feeling nice  
It's a c - - - fight  
I can tell  
I just know  
That it's going down  
Tonight  
At the door we don't wait cause we know them  
At the bar six shots just beginning  
That's when d- - khead put his hands on me  
But you see**_

"I haven't heard this in years!" Maddie exclaimed.

"I still have the album!" London replied.

They began to sing in unison.

_**I'm not here for your entertainment  
You don't really want to mess with me tonight  
Just stop and take a second  
I was fine before you walked into my life  
Cause you know it's over  
Before it begins  
Keep your drink just give me the money  
just you and your hand tonight**_

_Ironic song given what I did earlier, huh? _London thought. Maddie had a similar thought. _Of all her songs, they pick this one. If that's not irony, I don't know what is. _They continue rocking out to the song as they pull up to the hotel. They are so engrossed in the song that they don't notice the audience of five that is standing at the entrance watching them.

_**In the corner with your boys you bet up five bucks  
To get at the girl that just walked in but she thinks you suck  
We didn't get all dressed up just for you to see  
So quit spilling your drinks on me yeah **_

_**You know who you are  
High fivin, talkin s- - - , but you're going home alone arentcha?**_

_**Cause I'm not here for your entertainment  
You don't really want to mess with me tonight  
Just stop and take a second  
I was fine before you walked into my life  
Cause you know it's over  
Before it begins  
Keep your drink just give me the money  
just you and your hand tonight**_

_**I'm not here for your entertainment  
You don't really want to mess with me tonight  
Just stop and take a second  
I was fine before you walked into my life  
Cause you know it's over  
Before it begins  
Keep your drink just give me the money  
just u + ur hand tonight**_

The song ended. London and Maddie looked at each other. London was about to speak when thunderous applause and whistling erupted from the sidewalk. The two women slowly turned their heads toward the source of the admiration. Standing just a few feet from the car were C.J., Zachary and Carey Martin, Barbara Brownstein and Maxine Vaughn.

"I think we've embarrassed ourselves enough for one evening, what do you think?" Maddie said to London.

"Agreed. Let's go get teased about it." London said as they both nodded and hopped out of the car.

"Oh my God! You two are gorgeous! Come here!" Carey exclaimed. She hadn't seen Maddie in two years, eclipsed only by the seven years since she had seen London. She threw her arms around both of them in a python-like group hug. The women didn't mind in the least. Tears flowed from all three of them. Max and Barbara found their eyes getting misty as they watched the reunion. C.J. and Zack stood off to the side and looked at each other in mock annoyance.

London then realized that she had yet to see C.J. "C.J.!" She screamed as she threw her arms around him in an embrace. "It's so good to see you! I am so happy for you!"

"You look beautiful." C.J. said softly as to not yell in London's ear. London broke her embrace and turned to C.J.'s fiancée. "Barbara!" She threw her arms around Barbara. "It's been too long!"

Barbara looked at C.J. and Zack. They had told her about the transformation of London into a nice, thoughtful, generous person but she had a hard time believing it. But Barbara had a knack for being able to read a person. When she broke the embrace and took one look in London's eyes, she saw that the change was genuine. She also thought she saw something else. She made a mental note as London went to embrace Max. London subconsciously gave Max and extra squeeze, knowing what was in store for her on Thursday night. Maddie unwittingly did the same when she hugged Max.

The seven of them went inside and sat down at the table and began small talk.

"Are you excited yet? I know I'd be bouncing off the walls right now!" London said to Barbara.

"Every day my heart beats a little faster. It's not every day you pledge your love to the love of your life." Barbara said. Nervous shifting came from all seats at the table. Each of the six reacted to the comment in some way, either from anticipation of what was to be or lamentation of what once was.

"Do you need any help, because I would be more than happy to give you a hand." Carey said.

"Mom, all you have to do is put on the dress Barbara picked out for you and show up. She told you that." C.J. said.

"Yeah, Ms. Martin, my coordinator has it all taken care of." Barbara said.

"Enough with the Ms. Martin stuff. I told you it's Carey or Mom." Carey corrected her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. "And I am not calling you my daughter-in-law. On Saturday, you become my daughter with all the rights and privileges that come with being a Martin."

"Yeah like become her manservant when she gets sick." Zack chimed in.

"That happened one time, Zachary Curtis Martin, and you didn't want to do it then. I had to talk you out of going to the skate park." Carey shot back.

"Is that what I have to look forward to if we get married Zack?" Max asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not, baby. You know I've changed." Zack said. "Remember when you broke your foot in your senior year? Who waited on you hand and foot at the Big East Tournament?"

A sheepish smile spread across Max's face. "You did."

"And how about after the women's Final Four in D.C. last year…"

"ZACK!" Max exclaimed then dropped her voice into a whisper as she brought her lips near Zack's ear. "Your mother is sitting here! But you did take care of me that night!" They both broke out into a giggle.

"They are so nasty." C.J. deadpanned.

"They're in love, baby." Barbara said. "Love makes you act a little silly."

"Speaking of silly…" Carey said. "What was with the mobile concert the two of you were putting on?" Carey referred to London and Maddie singing in the car as they pulled up to the hotel.

"Yeah. Y'all were rockin' it out!" Zack said.

London and Maddie looked at each other and chuckled. "Well… we got hold of a song we liked…" Maddie said

"And rode that sucker into the ground!" London finished her thought. Everyone at the table broke into laughter. Barbara, took an extra second to study the undercurrent of electric chemistry between London and Maddie before turning her attention to a tall stranger at the maitre d' stand. She leaned over to lightly nudge Carey.

"Hey Ms. – Carey… that guy at the maitre d' stand keeps eyeballing you. He's been locked on you since he walked in." Barbara said.

"Really?" Carey focused her attention on him. At that moment he was looking at his Blackberry. "He is kind of tasty." The man was about 6'1 and in the neighborhood of about 220 pounds. He was solidly built but not overly muscular. He wore a black suit with a pink dress shirt, unbuttoned at the neck. He looked up from his Blackberry and after a word from the maitre d'; he made his way into the dining room… and seemed to be headed for their table.

"Ooh, Carey! He's making a beeline toward you!" Maddie said as she glanced out of the corner of her eye. Everyone at the table decided to be nonchalant and not gawk at the man.

He approached the table and spoke in a low hushed tone. "Good evening Carey. It's good to see you again."

Carey looked up from her conversation. "Good evening. I'm sorry, but do I know you?"

"Well, as much as I watched over your sons while I worked in this place fixing things, I think I'm acquainted with you."

All conversation, which was already fabricated as they were all listening to the exchange between Carey and the man, came to a grinding halt as his words hung in the air. All eyes focused and then re-focused on the man.

"Arwin?" Carey slowly said in a disbelieving tone as she studied him. Gone were the taped glasses and the goofy facial expression. The man that stood before her had a confidence and a warm energy that radiated off of him that Carey could feel.

"Arwin Quentin Hawkhauser is the name on my birth certificate." He said softly.

Carey stood up. "Oh my… wow… uh… Arwin…" Carey opened her arms to embrace him. The rest of the table sat in stunned silence. They all had their memories of a stumbling, bumbling handyman that broke things as often as he fixed them. The man that stood before them appeared to be capable of breaking and fixing hearts, not circuitry. They broke the embrace. "You… look… amazing. I didn't recognize you."

"I get that from people I haven't seen in a while. It's a wonder what hitting the weights and undergoing a few minor cosmetic procedures can do." Arwin said. He then looked around the table. "Zack. Cody." They both stood up and individually embraced Arwin. "You two are taller than me now! Man! Y'all look great!"

"You know I flipped to ESPN the other day and saw a guy bowling that I thought looked like you, but his name was…" Zack said before Arwin interrupted.

"Quentin Hauser." Arwin said. "I use that name on the pro tour."

"So should we call you Quentin?" C.J. asked.

"No. Arwin is fine. I'm not ashamed of my name. I just looked in the mirror one day and saw Quentin."

"Just like ol' Cody here looked in the mirror and saw C.J." Zack said.

"C.J. I like that. You look like a C.J." Arwin said. "And this is Barbara? She nodded. I remember seeing you hanging around when you were younger." He extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you and congratulations. Thank you for inviting me." He then turned his attention to Max. "Maxine Vaughn. I followed B.C. when they went to the Final Four last year. You were terrific. Tough break against Maryland."

He then finally focused on the two he had yet to address. "I left the best for last." London and Maddie smiled and blushed. "You two look amazing. Can ol' Arwin get a hug?" The hopped up from the table and engaged Arwin in a group hug. "Look. I didn't mean to interrupt your dinner. I saw you all…" Arwin looked directly at a now enthralled Carey. "And just thought I'd come say hello."

"We-We'd love to have you join us." Carey's words spilled haphazardly out of her mouth. Everyone else at the table piped up and backed Carey.

"Are you sure?" Arwin asked. Everyone once again agreed. "Thank you." He said just as his phone rang. "I'm sorry, I have to take this. I'll be right back. _Quentin Hauser?_" He said as he walked away from the table. All female eyes at the table watched silently as he walked out of sight. They then turned back to the table.

"Were there enough sparks flying between the two of them or what?" London exclaimed. The other women looked at Carey and started giggling. "Oh man does she have it bad!"

"Come on guys! It wasn't that obvious… was it?" Carey asked.

"Yeah it was!" Maddie responded giggling. She leaned over to share a laugh and a comment with London. They cracked up laughing. Maddie put her hand on top of London's and the two of them touched foreheads as they laughed.

Barbara looked over at the two of them and had a thought cross her mind. _That's what I thought. Carey's not the only one at this table that's got it bad. They are so in love with each other. I can feel it._

_

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_

**Lucky number seven is in the books. What do you think? Dinner continues in chapter eight. PLEASE REVIEW!**


	8. Backing Away Fron The Gate

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: The title of the chapter should be obvious for those of you that fly. If you don't fly, let me briefly explain. When they close the doors on a flight, the plane backs away from the gate in order to get in line to taxi down the runway to take off. Hence the title, Backing Away From The Gate. Draw your own conclusions. Enjoy.**

**

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**REQUITED **

_**Chapter 8**_

**Backing Away From The Gate **

The conversation at the table went at a lightning pace. Everyone was so excited to see each other. Everyone was equally as excited for Barbara and C.J. They seemed to be made for each other. Barbara had been on cloud nine since the day a year earlier that C.J. proposed to her. As the wedding grew closer, Barbara's enthusiasm was infectious. In the last year even the normally "glass is 48 percent full" Max seemed to lighten up around Barbara. Their friendship grew to the point that Barbara asked Max to be her Maid of Honor, a role that Max happily accepted.

But on this evening, Barbara's thoughts had been taken over by the two women that sat across the table from her. Her curiosity was killing her. She had to know what the story was with London and Maddie. She was by no means nosy by nature, but when something stuck in her craw, she had to un-stick it. About twenty-five minutes into the dinner, in between drinks and the appetizer, an opportunity presented itself.

"Excuse me…" London said as she began to stand up. "I need to go to the powder room." Arwin stood in a sign of gentlemanly courtesy quickly followed by C.J. and Zack. This gesture earned a pleasant raised eyebrow from Carey, as both an acknowledgement of his courtesy and his ability to rub off on her boys.

"I'll join you." Barbara added as she stood. "I'll be right back." She said as she gave C.J. a quick peck. She and London walked to the restroom together.

They reached the restroom and London made a beeline for the last stall. "I'm sorry Barbara. I really do have to go." London said.

"No that's cool." Barbara said as she stood in front of the mirror to fix her makeup.

Several minutes later, London emerged and walked over to the sink next to Barbara. "You're glowing. I am so happy for you. I really mean it. Love looks good on you." London said with a smile as she washed her hands.

"That's really funny. I was gonna say the same thing to you." Barbara retorted.

"To me? Why?" London asked.

"I know you don't really know me from Adam, but I have to ask you a question, but at the same time I don't want to offend you." Barbara said.

"It sounds serious. You won't offend me. Go ahead." London said.

"I have this… I don't know… sixth sense when it comes to people. I can tell when people are in love. I've never been wrong." Barbara said.

"And you sense that in me." London said.

"Yeah I do." Barbara replied. "I also sense the same thing in Maddie."

"Uh-huh." London said.

"My question is… and I can't believe I'm asking you this but… are you two in love with each other?" Barbara asked but then immediately followed up. "I know it sounds ridiculous, it's just that I thought I saw a spark…"

London placed her hands on Barbara's shoulders to calm her. "Barbara. It's ok. I told you that you won't offend me." London looked around the bathroom to re-confirm that they were alone. "Yes. I am in love with Maddie, but she doesn't know yet."

Barbara smiled a self-satisfied smile knowing that her love record was still unblemished. "When are you gonna tell her?"

"Soon. I can't take much more of this." London admitted.

"Do you think she feels the same way?" Barbara asked.

"I want to think so, but I don't know." London said. "It's weird… but the more people I tell, the better I feel."

"Who else knows?"

"Let's see, you, Moesby and Raven Baxter."

"You mean THE Raven Baxter?" Barbara asked then realized that C.J. knows her too and invited her. "That's right! C.J. invited her!"

"Yeah. She and her wife are good friends with me and Maddie."

"Wow! I can't believe you're good friends… wait a minute!" Barbara exclaimed. "If she's friends with you and Maddie, and YOU told her…"

London's light bulb went off. "Then maybe Maddie told her too!" London bounced and squealed. "Oh, man! Raven and Chelsea are flying in day after tomorrow. I'll ask her then! But, I've got to get through tomorrow. I hope I can do it. It's getting harder to be around her. But please… don't tell anyone, not even C.J. I mean Zack knows but…"

"Not my secret to tell. Don't worry." Barbara said.

"Thank you Barbara."

"What are friends for? C.J.'s friends are my friends." Barbara said before stepping forward to embrace London. "Come on. Let's get back out there and hook Carey up with Arwin!"

"Oh my God! Did you see the heat coming off of them…" London said as they walked out of the bathroom.

Barbara and London arrived back at the table right at the beginning of a subject change.

"So Maddie…" Max began. "Who are you bringing to the wedding?"

"Well…" Maddie began speaking. She paused when she saw London sitting down out of the corner of her eye. "Nobody. I'm not seeing anyone right now and the guys on my job are just… anyway…" Barbara shot London a quick look. C.J., knowing Maddie's feelings for London decided to give her a light nudge.

"Why don't you take London? You two were having a good ol' time in the car." C.J. started. Maddie gave him a deer-in-the-headlights look. Barbara gave London a nearly imperceptible look of encouragement. C.J. continued. "The two of you always make us and each other laugh, and that's what weddings should be about… having fun with the people you love not some stranger you take just for the sake of a date."

"That's a great idea!" London said. She decided to ham it up a little to break up the tension she felt and the tension that, if Barbara was right about Maddie's feelings, she knew Maddie had too. London stood up and dropped to one knee. "Madeline, will you take me to the wedding as your date?" She said in overly dramatic fashion causing chuckles at the table.

Maddie smirked as she looked down at London. "Yes. I'll take you to the wedding as my date." Maddie deadpanned.

"Yay me!" London jumped up and started clapping and bouncing. The whole table burst out in laughter.

"My God!" Carey exclaimed as she laughed. "I never thought I'd say it but I missed her doing that!"

"The more things change, the more they stay the same." Zack said.

"Speaking of dates for the wedding…" Arwin said. "You… going with anyone Carey?"

Carey looked at him intently. Maddie elbowed London several times. Max glanced over at Barbara and stretched her eyes.

"Are you asking me to go with you?" Carey said with a faint smile.

"I am." Arwin said.

"But… I haven't seen you in four… five years. How do I know it'll be worth my while?" Carey was playing the coy role perfectly. The ladies at the table sat up straighter in their seats and exchanged expressions of intrigue and surprise at the level of flirtation on display. Zack shot a text message to C.J. _**I know it's Mom, but if he pulls this off, he's the fucking man.**_

"Go to dinner with me tomorrow night and find out." Arwin said with James Bond-like smoothness.

"How can I refuse an offer like that?" Carey said.

"You can't." Arwin replied.

Just then, their food arrived and the banter between them hung in the air as the food was served. Carey leaned over to Barbara and whispered, "It's getting a little warm in here."

Barbara unexpectedly exploded in laughter. "Sorry." She said as her explosion turned into an under the breath chuckle.

Dinner continued without a hitch. Conversation flowed back and forth with Arwin and Carey overtly flirting the whole way. Maddie and London would occasionally glance out of the corner of their eye at the other. They were now each other's date for the wedding. They both felt that the horizon was now closer than before. Their time was nearing.

Maddie went to work on Tuesday leaving London on her own in the city. London took the opportunity to visit Marion at his office where she called Tipton's Chairman of the Board to make her intention to move stateside known. He told her that he sensed that this was coming and had already paved the way for the move by planning a restructuring of the Western European and North American offices.

London then followed through on another promise and went to Maddie's building and made an offer on one of the penthouse units that blew the owner and the agent away. It was happily accepted. She called Maddie around three to ask her what she had planned for the evening. Maddie told her that work was going to keep her there late but she would call her if she got a break. It was then that the heiress decided to spend the rest of the day reacquainting herself with the city that she would soon once again call home.

Wednesday morning London was greeted by a call at 6:15. She groggily rolled over in her queen-sized bed and a la Luke Wilson in Old School and Nick Nolte in just about every one of his movies, London cracked one eye open to look at the clock.

"Oh, shit." London dragged out before groping for the phone. On the third ring, fourth grope, London picked up the phone. "He-llo?" She groggily said.

"_I didn't mean to wake you up."_ London heard the soft silky tone of Maddie's voice.

"That's okay." London's voice was groggy but in a low and sexy tone that sent a chill down Maddie's spine. "You go in early?"

"_I never left."_ Maddie said. _"I slept on my couch and changed clothes here. It's not the first time I've slept here and won't be the last." _London let out a soft giggle and then stretched a stretch that sounded like a purr. "_Oh my God."_ Maddie reacted in a whisper to the stretch without thinking.

"What's wrong?" London said, still in that half-sleepy, unwittingly sexy voice.

_Fuck! Cover yourself Maddie! _"Sorry… I… just glanced at the brief for this case and saw something I missed." _You are too good Fitz!_

"Can baby go back to sleep now?" London said in a drowsy syrup-sweet voice.

_Oh my God, you've gotta stop that. "You want me to tuck you in?"_ Maddie said softly. London let out what sounded like a naughty giggle. _"Oh, I forgot… you get horny when you're sleepy."_

"No I don't." London softly replied.

"_Senior year in high school, you French kissed a pillow during a sleepover."_ Maddie recalled.

"That pillow was hot." London giggled again. "Come be my body pillow." More giggling.

_I wish. _Maddie thought. _"Go back to sleep. I'll call you later."_ Maddie said.

"Lick you later." London giggled and then settled back under the covers with a purr.

"_Lick you later."_ Maddie said with a chuckle before hanging up the phone. _"You damn right I will."_ She said to herself as she continued shuffling papers. _Note to self… _Maddie thought. _Must keep London sleepy._

London drifted back into sleep after hanging up the phone. She drifted into a dream. Her dreams over the last couple of weeks have involved one person and one person only.

_(London's dream)_

_London just stepped out of the shower. She wrapped a towel around her moist skin. She walked into her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. She removed her towel and began to apply lotion to her legs. Out of the corner of her eye, Maddie appeared. Maddie didn't speak. She took the lotion bottle out of London's hand and sank to her knees. She placed her hands on the inside of London's knees slowly pushed them apart. London arched her back as Maddie lowered her head. London cried out. Her head fell back. Maddie reached up and massaged her taut nipples. She cried out again…_

(telephone ringing)

"Huh?" London growled. She picked up the phone. "Maddie?"

"_No sweetie, I'm a little darker and a little thicker."_

"Mmmm… Raven." London purred.

"_I'll be damned, Chels!"_ Raven said to Chelsea in the background. _"London is an early morning horn dog!"_

"_Before both of us get in trouble because of your voice, I think you need to wake up."_

"I'm awake." London purred again.

"_Doesn't sound like it but anyway… We're about to leave LaGuardia. We'll be in Boston in about an hour and a half."_

"I'll pick you up from the airport." London said as she began to stretch.

"_You had a dream about Maddie didn't you?"_

"And I just talked to her."

"_I have a plan, guaranteed to bring the truth out. I'll tell you when I see you. I'll text you with our flight info."_

"Will Chelsea let me borrow you?" London purred again. "Pregnant women are hot."

"_So are Asian chicks, but you're not gettin' any… from me anyway. Maddie's your target."_

"Awwww. You're no fun."

"_Wake your horny ass up and pick us up."_ Raven said with a chuckle.

"Okay. Bye Rae Rae."

Raven laughed again._ "Bye."_

London finished stretching and slid out of bed. She turned to start making it until she realized that she was in a hotel. The staff would take care of it for her. She wiped her eyes as she headed for the bathroom and a nice warm shower.

London stepped out of the shower. She wrapped a towel around her moist skin. She walked into her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. She removed her towel and began to apply lotion to her legs. Out of the corner of her eye… nothing. Damned dream.

She finished dressing and headed out into the crisp April morning. The temperature was supposed to hit 72 for the day, but at seven in the morning, it was in the mid fifties.

She sipped her cup of coffee from the candy counter in the lobby and hopped in her car to head to Logan. Raven and Chelsea's flight was due in forty-five minutes. She pulled into the parking garage with a few minutes to spare. After checking the arrivals board and determining which baggage claim carousel they were assigned, she headed to baggage claim. As she walked, she decided to play a hunch. She pulled out her phone and dialed.

"_Collier, Beckett. Madeline Fitzpatrick."_

"I was hoping you hadn't gone out for coffee."

"_I just got back. I see you're fully awake and not horny as hell."_

"Yeah. I'm awake."

"_And…"_

"I'm awake." London's tone of voice was loaded.

"_You are… So what are you doing right now?"_

"I'm at the airport picking up Raven and Chelsea."

"_Don't make any plans. They want to go to dinner with us."_

"They are great aren't they?"

"_They make a beautiful couple."_

"Yeah they do. They really love each other. They started out as best friends and just let their love mature." Hook…

"_Being in love is so much sweeter when you are best friends first. That's the only way I'll play the game."_

…Line and sinker. "I'm not gonna wish you the best because I guarantee you're gonna get it."

Maddie took a deep breath. _"You really think so?"_

"I've never been more sure of anything in all my life."

_This is it. Tell her. I know she's not in front of you, but fuck it. It feels right. "London? I have to…"_ There was a knock on her office door.

(In the background) _"Maddie, can I see you in my office for a minute. And bring London Fletcher's file with you."_ James Collier, the other senior partner in the firm, said.

"_Sure, Jim. I'll be right there." Thanks a lot, Jim._ She thought. _"I've got to run. Jim is a little impatient."_

"What were you gonna tell me?" London's heart skipped a beat. It sounded like what she was about to say was going to be something big and given their topic of conversation, she was hoping it was what she waited seven years to hear.

"_It'll keep for now. It's best to say it in person anyway. Not anything bad, just… personal. But I'd better go before I get summoned again. I'll call you later."_

"Okay."

"_Give Rae and Chels my love. And take some for yourself too."_

"I will. Love you Blondie."

"_Love you too Londie."_

London hung up the phone on cloud six and rapidly ascending. In that moment that Maddie said her name, she felt like an admission of love was coming. She was sure of it. It was time to seal the deal. But how? When? Where? I need some advice, encouragement, a kick in the ass. I need…

"LONDON!" "LONDON TIPTON!" Two familiar voices boomed down the concourse level.

London smiled a smile that was a mile wide. "RAVEN! CHELSEA!" _They… are what I need_.

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**Closer and closer still. It's just a matter of time. Please join me for chapter nine. PLEASE REVIEW!**


	9. Taxi To Runway Love

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: The title of the chapter should be obvious for those of you that fly. If you don't fly, let me briefly explain. Before taking off, a plane uses a taxi runway to get from the gate to a main runway to take off. So the title of the chapter, Taxi To Runway Love, means that London and Maddie are getting closer. Enjoy.**

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**REQUITED**

_**Chapter 9**_

**Taxi To Runway Love **

"OH MY GOD!" London exclaimed upon laying eyes on Raven and Chelsea for the first time since returning home. "Chelsea, look at you! You look amazing!" London said as she embraced the beautiful redhead.

"Amazing doesn't come close to describing you! Life has been good to you!" Chelsea responded.

"Hey! You wanna stop flirting with my wife! I am here, you know!" Raven said.

"Pregnant women are so hot." London said. She then glanced at Chelsea as she approached Raven. "How do you keep your hands off her Chels?"

"I don't." Chelsea deadpanned then smirked.

"She is so nasty." Raven said as she embraced London warmly and held it for a moment. London was good friends with both of them but had a special connection with Raven, a diva-to-diva connection that had more to do with attitude than money. "How's my L.T.?" Raven said in a warm, soft voice.

"Now who's flirting?" Chelsea said with mock jealousy. "It's a good thing I knocked you up."

Raven and London broke their embrace wiping away tears that had formed. "Actually, a turkey baster knocked me up. Same one they used on you, sweetie." Raven said sarcastically.

"Does the phrase, 'Too much information' mean anything to you two?" London asked in playful disdain.

"Well…" Raven said. "Two women, married to each other, one pregnant…" Raven looked down and playfully tried to move her pregnant belly out of the way. "I can't see Chels… Do I have a dick?"

Chelsea cocked her head to one side and looked at Raven's groin. "No you don't."

"Do you have a dick, Chels?" Raven asked.

"Lemme check." Chelsea said before looking down at herself and reaching down for a feel. "No. I have a vagina… standard issue."

"See London. Neither one of us has a dick, therefore, a turkey baster was needed, therefore, my comment was warranted. Thank you very much and goodnight." Raven said.

London shook her head and laughed. "God I missed you two!" She said before grabbing both of them for a group hug. "How are you feeling?" She asked Raven.

"Not bad for somebody that has a basketball for a stomach." Raven shot back. "And I haven't stopped growing."

"And I love every gorgeous inch of you." Chelsea said.

"Chels, you don't have to flatter me. I told you I was gonna give you some tonight." Raven said softly.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" London said. "Innocent ears here!"

"Innocent my ass!" Chelsea piped in. "Rae told me about you and what you want to do to Maddie."

"What did she tell you?" London said looking incredulously at Raven.

"Nothing." Chelsea said matter-of-factly to London then turned to Raven. "You were right, Rae. She's had some NASTY thoughts about her!" Chelsea and Raven started giggling.

Raven started to talk as she continued laughing. "We're just playing, babe. By the end of tonight, Maddie will be eating out of the palm of your hand."

"Or just eating you out." Chelsea cracked. London visibly shifted at Chelsea's comment. "Oh, damn! I didn't know it was that bad."

"You don't know the half." London deadpanned.

"Where's my phone?" Raven asked.

"In your purse where it always is." Chelsea said.

"No it's not!" Raven said.

"Did you look?" Chelsea asked.

"Yes." Raven said with a sheepish look.

"Gimme your purse." Chelsea said. Raven handed it over and after about ten seconds of rambling, she pulled Raven's phone out.

"Thank you baby." Raven said.

"Wow! You two ARE married." London said.

Raven smiled as she dialed. "Hey Alex, it's Rae… Yeah… Are you gonna be there tonight?… Cool. Remember what you did for me and Chels that one time at Vibes?… Yeah… can you hook two of my friends up?… Yes, two girls. They want each other but need a push." London's heart beat faster when she heard Raven's last sentence. "We're going to dinner and then… It is? Great!… Ten o'clock works. Thank you boy!… I love you too… I will… Bye." Raven snaps her phone shut. "So let it be written, so let it be done."

"Maddie… wants me?" London asked with a starry-eyed look.

"Not my place to say. It's up to her." Raven said. "But if I were you, I'd start learning to moan her name if I were you."

"Look at her eyes." Chelsea said. "She already knows how."

"So…" London clears her throat. "What's the plan?"

"Can you dance?" Raven asked.

"Yeah." London said.

"It's like Shakira said… hips don't lie." Raven said. "Just shake your moneymaker and let nature run it's course." Raven then peered around London's body at her backside. "Yeah. With all that stuffin' on your Egg McMuffin, Maddie's as good as yours."

London chuckled. "Let's get y'all to the hotel."

"I wanna go see Maddie first." Chelsea said.

"She's at work. She's been there all night." London said.

"Then she could use a little pick me up from The Sunshine Girls!" Raven exclaimed before wheeling around to Chelsea. "One crack about me, that outfit and bananas and you can forget about… uh… you know."

Chelsea leaned over to London and whispered, "That's So Raven."

The three of them walked out the garage and hopped in London's car, headed for Maddie's office. Raven told London about her friend Alex, a former college football player and bouncer she met in a video store back in San Francisco. She explained how Alex was their limo driver the night Chelsea proposed to Raven. He came to Boston for a tryout with the New England Patriots and after latching on for three seasons, called it quits, fell in love with a local girl and settled down. He opened a club called Pulse that quickly became one of the hottest spots in Boston. Chelsea told London how amazing it was that Raven seemed to have a hook-up in just about every major city.

"You two did what?" Chelsea exclaimed.

"Yeah! We made out to get out of a ticket!" London said.

"That was your chance right there!" Raven said, rubbing her stomach.

"It didn't feel right. It has to feel right, you know?" London said. "It didn't feel right after the massage either."

Raven raised her eyebrow and leaned forward in the seat. "Did… you say massage?"

"I think she did, Rae." Chelsea said. "Now spit it out, Missy! What's this about a massage?"

"I gave Maddie a massage while she was sitting on the couch." London offered.

"Oh… well that's not so…" Raven started.

"And on the bed…" London added.

"Okay, now that…" Chelsea began.

"With me straddling her." London continued.

"I thought you weren't acting stupid anymore!" Raven said. London just looked at her before flashing her eyes back to the road. "You missed two golden opportunities to tell her how you felt, now it's gonna end up hitting a flash boil like it did us. You'll be writhing around in the bedroom, panting, sweating… screaming…" Raven's voice dropped and her eyes began to glaze over. "More panting… swearing… more screaming… buckin' your hips…"

"Rae! Snap out of it!" Chelsea said to Raven. "Sorry London. Her hormone levels are increasing by the day… Not that I'm complaining or anything… (clears her throat) now back to you and Maddie… you need to rock her world on the dance floor…"

"Chelsea and I have had some of our best… evenings together at home after the club." Raven said.

Chelsea chimed in. "And in the club, and in the parking lot, the elevator in the building…"

"Okay!" London said with a chuckle. "I get the point!" London turned into the garage at Maddie's building. "Here we are." They all piled out of the car and headed up to Maddie's office.

"_Maddie?" _Chloe said over the intercom.

"Yes?"

"_Three of the most gorgeous women I have ever laid eyes on are standing in front of me waiting to see you." _Chloe said with a smile in her voice.

Maddie smiled and decided to join in the fun. "Is one of them a very beautiful pregnant African-American woman with hazel eyes and a body that is thicker than New England clam chowder?"

"_Yes." _Chloe said with a chuckle.

"Is one of them a stunningly gorgeous brown-eyed redhead with legs for days?"

Chloe looked Chelsea up and down. _"Mmm hmm."_

"And is the other one an exotically beautiful Asian-American woman with an ass to die for?"

Chloe began nodding. _"Oh yeah."_

"Well send them in… please."

The large oak door eased open. It took every fiber in Maddie's being not to rush across the office and bear hug the first person to cross the threshold. She took her standard position; half-sitting on the desk, half-standing, and waited for the door to open fully confirming the identities of the three women on the other side.

One by one, they walked in, eyes bright, smiles as broad as the ocean so near. In that brief moment, Maddie wondered if there was such a term as _ménage a quad. _She quickly dismissed that thought as the smile from London sucked the wind out of her lungs. It was a good thing Raven was a talkative as she was.

"Maddie." Raven said. "Come to Momma." Raven stepped forward to embrace Maddie. As she embraced her she whispered in the blonde attorney's ear, "She'll be yours before the sun comes up tomorrow, I promise." Maddie wanted to do all things at once. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. She wanted to kiss Raven for saying it. She wanted to kiss Chelsea for being married to Raven. She wanted to kiss London for being London. The smile on her face was as pure and joyous a smile as she had ever produced.

As they broke the embrace, Chelsea raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to one side. "What did my wife say to you?" Chelsea stepped forward to embrace Maddie.

"She said that you are the sexiest redhead she's ever laid eyes on." Maddie said as she embraced Chelsea. "Then she let out this moan that made…"

Raven swatted at Maddie playfully to shut her up. "You are so full of…"

"Language!" Chelsea said lightly but sternly. "Our unborn child is listening."

Raven shot back immediately. "You didn't say that when I was screaming…"

"SO…. MADDIE!" Chelsea's timely interruption caused laughter in the office. "You look… WOW! Agree with me, London."

"Oh I do." London cut Maddie a look out of the corner of her eye with an upturned smirk on the corner of her lips that for the first time was seen by her target.

Maddie's thoughts went into overdrive. _Oh I saw that London! You want some blonde hair on your pillow in the morning? Okay sweetie… it's go time._

"You two are just… stunning." Maddie said. "What's your secret?"

"Plenty of water, skin care products and mind-bending orgasms." Raven said, leaving the other three women with their mouths agape. "Especially the mind-bending orgasms."

"I am a firm believer in that one." London said. "Any volunteers to help me?" London looked directly at Maddie.

_HOLY… _"See what y'all did?" Maddie exclaimed as her gaze went back and forth between Chelsea and Raven. "You've been in town a hour and she's already off the hook." Maddie then looked directly at London. "She better be careful for what she asks for… she might just get it."

Chelsea leaned over to Raven and whispered in her ear. "They're gonna make our shower look like child's play." Raven nodded in agreement.

"What's this whispering? No whispering allowed in my office!" Maddie said.

"We were just talking about our great idea!" Raven started. "How does a nice dinner and the club sound?"

"Are you sure you can go to the club?" Maddie said, concerned about Raven's pregnant state.

"It's good for me to move around. And with me being pregnant, I don't get hit on as much." Raven said.

"As much?" London wondered aloud. "With child and still gettin' play at the club…"

"Don't blow her head up any bigger that it is already." Chelsea deadpanned. Raven leaned over and nibbled Chelsea's ear.

"Stop that!" Chelsea giggled.

"Well… if we go to the club can we invite Barbara and Max? They are so much fun." London said.

"The more the merrier. Give' em a call!" Raven said just they heard a knock at the door.

"Maddie, Barry said that Judge Warner…" Ray Collier said before noticing Maddie's company. "Well, hello London."

"Ray." London smiled.

"And I know that beautiful face anywhere… Raven Baxter. It is a pleasure to meet you. Raymond Collier."

"The pleasure is mine." Raven said.

"And who is this?" Raymond said with an aire of heightened interest as he looked at Chelsea and took her hand. Young beautiful redheads were Raymond's weakness.

Raven smiled, anticipating the upcoming look of bewilderment when she announces Chelsea's identity.

"Raymond Collier…" Raven began. "This is Chelsea Daniels… my wife Chelsea." Raymond froze in his tracks for a moment as he continued to hold Chelsea's hand.

"Your… wife?" Raymond asked Raven. She nodded. He then turned to Maddie. "Maddie? Do I look like a complete ass right now?"

"No. Just a partial one." Maddie replied.

"I… am sorry." Raymond said. "I apologize to both of you."

"It's okay." Raven said. "You have good taste." Everyone chuckled.

It was then that Raymond noticed Raven's pregnancy. "So, how far along are you?"

"Almost five months." Raven said.

"You must be proud." He said to Chelsea.

"Very." Chelsea's response was simple.

"Ray? Barry and Judge Warner…" Maddie began.

"It will keep. Just come see me when you get a chance." Raymond said. "It was a pleasure meeting you both. London… good seeing you again."

"You too. I haven't forgotten about our meeting." London said.

"I'll catch you later." Maddie said as Raymond departed.

"He so wanted you Chels." Maddie said.

"Yeah." London said. "For breakfast, lunch, dinner and a midnight snack."

"I'd have been on his ass like white on rice if he had made a move on her." Raven said.

"What did I tell you about your language?" Chelsea chastised Raven.

"Guess you'll have to spank me." Raven purred.

"And on that note…" Chelsea switched gears. "We'll meet for dinner at seven at your place." Chelsea said referring to Maddie's condo.

"Cool. I'll call the other girls." London said. "Call me when you get off." Maddie dropped her head and grinned. "From work. Call me when you get off from work." London said, catching her double entendre. Bye… Nasty."

"Bye, y'all!" Maddie grinned and watched the three of them leave. She then walked around to her chair and sat down. She spun around toward the window and let out a loud sigh.

Raven, Chelsea and London stepped outside the office and closed the door. London began fanning herself.

"When did you two start flirting like that?" Chelsea asked incredulously.

"Last couple of days." London answered.

"I have the perfect outfit for you to wear tonight. Lots of leg, lots of breast." Raven said. "It's not every day you get to grind up on the woman of your dreams on the dance floor."

"I'm ready." London said. "I'm ready to tell her how I feel. Let's do this." The three of them walked toward the elevator and stepped on.

After the chime sounded, Chloe slowly emerged from under her desk, where she was fixing a loose power cord. She slowly started nodding her head. "Now it makes sense." She whispered to herself.

"_Chloe? Can I see you for a second?" _Maddie's voice crackled over the intercom. Chloe walked into her office without saying a word. "Do you know where I can get a good club outfit?"

"Isn't one of your best friend's a designer?" Chloe retorted.

"I want to… surprise them." Maddie said.

"Then in that case, I know a place. I'll write down the address." Chloe said. "By the way, completely off-topic, but I'm just curious. What's your favorite city?"

"My favorite city?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah. Your favorite city… besides Boston." Chloe said.

"Well… I love, L.A. and Chicago, New York, D.C, oh and Phoenix."

"Maddie?" Chloe dropped her voice into a knowing tone. "What's your favorite city?"

Maddie studied Chloe for her intent. "What are you driving at?"

"I know what your favorite city is. I just want to hear you say it." Chloe sat down across the desk from Maddie. Maddie was still clueless until Chloe raised her eyebrow and faintly smiled.

Maddie paused and smiled. "Manny, Moe and Jack were talking after they left, weren't they?" Maddie inquired. "My favorite city… is London."

Chloe stood up and started toward the door. "Can't say that I blame you. I'd love to visit Scotland Yard my damn self!" Chloe smiled. "I'll get that number for you."

* * *

Later that evening...

London, Chelsea and Raven walked from their cars in the garage of Maddie's building toward the elevator. It was decided that Raven and Chelsea were going to take London's car in case a quick getaway needed to be made. Barbara and Max had some wedding shopping to do and told the others that they would meet them at the restaurant.

"Are you sure this outfit will do the trick?" London asked with trepidation.

"London. You look good enough to eat." Chelsea said as the sound of three sets of heels echoed through the garage.

"Now if we can just get Maddie to say the same thing…" London shot back.

"She will. No worries." Raven said with a smirk as the elevator ascended to Maddie's floor.

The three women walked up to Maddie's door. Chelsea and Raven looked at London.

"Well!" Chelsea and Raven whisper-yelled in unison.

"Okay!" London whisper-shot back. "Geez! It's like getting nagged in surround sound!" London rang the bell. They could hear the clicking of heels across the hardwood floor inside the apartment. The door opened… Two sets of lungs had all of the air sucked out of them in an instant.

There was no more than five seconds of silence, but for London and Maddie, time stood still. Maddie wore a form fitting black and white Baby Phat tank top that showed off lean, toned arms and just enough cleavage to keep those in her vicinity wanting for more. To add to the torture that London would have to endure, the tank was just short enough to display a sliver of midriff skin and a hint of a previously hidden belly button ring. This was accompanied by a skin tight pair of rich blue denim Baby Phat jeans, silver chain belt and strappy sandal-like heels that showed off Maddie's fresh pedicure.

Not to be out done, London's torture of Maddie consisted of a white, sleeveless top with a deep V-neck that was sheer enough for one to see a soft green lace bra underneath. The showstopper, however, was the leather micro-mini skirt that stopped just below the curve of London's backside. London's magnificently toned legs were on full display accentuated by the pair of four-inch stiletto heels she wore.

Chelsea and Raven glanced at each other and smiled in a knowing smirk. Raven broke the ice. She reached inside her purse and pulled out several twenty-dollar bills and waved them at Chelsea.

"Why don't you and London go buy something tonight…" Raven said looking at Maddie, still waving the money. "I can handle this."

"No way." London deadpanned. "You got your woman. Anyway… Maddie's my date for the wedding." Her eyes never left Maddie. "Might as well get some dance practice in tonight. Right, Maddie?"

"Absolutely." Maddie answered. "You look great by the way." She then caught herself. "All of you do."

"You look pretty fine yourself, Blondie." London said with a faint smile. "Ready?"

_Like you wouldn't believe. _Maddie thought. "Yeah."

"Rae and Chels are taking my car. Can I drive yours?" London asked.

_That's not all you can drive. _Maddie said inside her head. She reached in her pocket and pulled her keys out and handed them to London. The four of them headed down to the garage and loaded up the two-car caravan for their trip into the night.

They met up with Max and Barbara at the restaurant and, after a light meal, headed to the club.

The six of them parked down the street and headed up the side walk toward the club.

"Look at the line!" Max exclaimed. "I knew this place was hot but, man!" "Thanks for inviting us Raven!"

"Are you kidding? You think I'm gonna pass up the chance to hang out with five hot women at a club? You're welcome." Raven said.

"Anyway, this is a celebration!" Chelsea said. "The last night for the soon-to-be Mrs. Martin over here to get loose! WOO HOO!"

"Just make sure they don't have root beer in there." Max said. "She'll be shit-faced before you know it."

"Shut up Max!" Barbara snapped.

"Root beer?" Raven asked.

"Yeah. One time Zack and C.J. opened up a club in the hotel… and the party animal over here got tipsy off of root beer!" They all laughed except for Barbara who just nodded her head menacingly.

"My parents didn't let me partake of strong drink back then." Barbara said. "Hey guys? Do you notice something strange about that line of people?"

They all looked at the line. There were no men in sight. Raven smiled. "At least you don't have to worry about guys hitting on you tonight." They reached the front door. The line trailed off in one direction. They walked up behind the bouncer at the door. "Excuse me?" Raven said.

"Line starts back there sweetie." The bouncer deadpanned, not looking up from his clipboard.

"We're guests of Alex." Raven offered.

"So are all these ladies. Now like I said the line starts down there." He shot back.

Chelsea was about to protest when Raven put her index finger up. She reached in her bag and pulled out her cell phone.

"Hey!… Yeah, we're here… No, we're still outside. We're having a problem getting in… Yes… Really?… Ok. See you in a few… Bye." Raven hung up the phone.

"Rae?" Chelsea said. Raven shushed her before stepping back up to the bouncer.

"Excuse me?" Raven said in a sweet voice.

"What is it now? I'm kinda busy." The bouncer snapped.

"Alex told me to tell you that…" Raven leaned in and dropped her voice to a near whisper. "It would be a damned shame if Kelly found out about what happened last month in Lexington." Raven leaned back and waited for the bouncer's response. He turned around to face the six of them.

"My name is Tony. You ladies let me know if there is anything that you need. I'll take care of you." With that he opened the rope behind him to let them pass.

"Our cars are way down at the end of the block and my wife is pregnant…" Chelsea said.

"Hand me your keys. I'll make sure your cars are out by the back entrance before you leave." Tony said.

As they walked in London slowed and leaned up to Tony. "Musta been one hell of a time you had in Lexington." London said. Tony faintly smiled and responded. "Enjoy yourself tonight."

They stepped inside and began nodding their heads to the pulsating music. They hadn't been inside the main section more than thirty seconds when out of nowhere Raven felt herself being lifted off the floor.

"Still light as a feather!" Raven focused and immediately recognized the unmistakable voice of Alex McCutcheon.

"Put me down!" Raven giggled almost uncontrollably as she embraced Alex.

"No problem." He sat Raven down and swept Chelsea off her feet. Chelsea's face turned a deep crimson as she began giggling in embarrassment. She wrapped her arms around Alex's massive neck. "Can I borrow her for a few… years?" Alex said to Raven. "I'll be bad. I promise."

"I've never seen that shade of red before!" Raven said. "Better put her down before she melts."

"Too late." Chelsea said as Alex sat her down. Chelsea began fanning herself.

"So… you gonna introduce me?" Alex asked.

"Alex… this is Barbara, the blushing bride-to-be, Max, her maid of honor, London…" As Raven's introduction reached London, Chelsea, who was standing next to Alex, tapped his hand indicating that she was one of the two "special friends" Raven had mentioned. "… World famous ingénue, and Maddie, the sexiest attorney in Boston." Chelsea tapped Alex again.

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you." Alex said. "I've got the perfect table for you. Everything is on the house. Just give the bartender one of these cards and you're all set. Y'all are my special guests."

"You are a beautiful, chocolate mountain of a man." Raven said. The other five women nodded and grinned in approval of her assessment. "Thank you."

"Anytime. Enjoy yourselves and… welcome to Pulse!" Alex said as he retreated to his office and waved.

"Let's rock this joint!" Raven said as she grabbed Chelsea's hand and headed for the dance floor.

"C'mon Max!" Barbara said as she glanced over at London. "You can embarrass me out there!" Barbara and Max laughed as they headed out to the floor to dance. Their departure left Maddie and London standing, looking at each other awkwardly.

"Well…" Maddie said. "Wanna do this?"

"I don't bite." London said.

"Well in that case, I'm going home." Maddie said turning toward the door.

"The hell you are!" London snatched Maddie by the arm and dragged her out to the dance floor.

London and Maddie made a point of not getting too close as they danced. Part of it was not wanting to get too worked up too fast. The other part of it was their desire to see the other move. They both had a silky fluidity on the dance floor. They were naturals. Not as natural as Max, and Raven for that matter, but they were comfortable out there.

As the songs changed, so did the dance partners. After several songs, Raven beckoned off and headed over to the table. Chelsea followed soon after, then followed by the other four.

"Max, you are amazing!" Raven said. "Where did you learn to move like that, girl?"

"Before I was born, I got in line for seconds on rhythm." Max said.

"Well you got a good batch." Raven countered. "And I saw you out there Barbara. There's a wild woman inside ready to get out."

"I'll save that for the wedding night." Barbara said.

"I know that's right!" Maddie said, slapping high-fives with Barbara.

"If you hear a rumble Saturday night and Sunday morning, it's just us. It's been six months." Barbara admitted.

"Six months?" Chelsea exclaimed.

"OH HELL NO!" Raven said. "I'm sorry, but I could not hold out for six months. I need something. A hand, a toy… something!"

"I'm with you on that one Rae." London said. She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Maddie.

"I didn't say that I haven't… done anything…" Barbara blushed. "Just not C.J. Not until our wedding night."

"So we won't be hearing from you for a while." Maddie said. Barbara responded by letting out a sexy, throaty giggle.

"Ooh! This is my song! Excuse me ladies!" Max said as she jumped up and headed back out onto the floor.

Raven leaned over to London to whisper. "You know, now would be a good time to give Maddie a little show." Raven then leaned over to Chelsea. "Chels? Would you be so kind as to give London a hand? She needs a dance partner."

"Dance partner. Right." Chelsea said as she stood up.

"London, I know she's hot, but please behave yourself." Raven said. London smiled and headed out onto the floor with Chelsea. "Hey Maddie!" Raven called out to Maddie then motioned with her head for her to come sit next to her. "How's it going?"

"Alright I guess. There just doesn't seem to be a… right time to say anything. Maybe tonight's not the night." Maddie said.

"Girl, don't say that. The night is still… Hey Maddie, check it out." Raven said, looking at the dance floor. Maddie turned her head in time to see London and Chelsea seriously grinding on each other. Each time her head swiveled around to their table, London fixed an intense gaze on her blonde friend.

"Is it hot in here or is it just me?" Maddie asked.

"Uhh… I think it's London that's hot right now." Raven said.

On the dance floor, London was wondering if the show was having its intended effect.

"You think… it's working?" London breathlessly asked Chelsea.

Chelsea took a second to flash a look at the table. "Oh yeah. If Maddie's eyes… were laser beams… you'd have… holes in your shirt… by now." Chelsea answered.

Meanwhile, back at the table, Raven tried to jumpstart Maddie.

"What's your next move, slick?" Raven queried.

"Switching places with Chelsea…" Maddie said. "Right now." Maddie stood up and began making her way out the dance floor. Her stride was sexy and confident. Her moment was nearly at hand.

* * *

**The long anticipated chapter 9 is finished. I hope I didn't disappoint. Chapter 10 will be along very soon. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	10. Soarin'

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: When I went to Epcot at Walt Disney World two years ago, Soarin' was my favorite ride. I loved the feeling of flying like a bird in the clouds over some of the most beautiful sights in the world. It was a feeling of freedom and relief… a feeling Maddie and London will discover soon enough**_**.**_

_**

* * *

**_

**REQUITED **

_**Chapter 10**_

**Soarin' **

"How about a dance?" A voluptuous brunette that appeared to be of Mediterranean descent stopped Maddie in her tracks. Maddie was about to politely decline when the woman gently took her arm and led her out to the floor. The woman was not taking no for an answer. The woman moved against Maddie with sultry intensity and as much as Maddie wanted to move away she felt herself pulled in by the radiant energy of her accidental partner.

London and Chelsea witnessed the interception but did not break stride.

"Don't worry." Chelsea said. "It happens. Let her get worked up. It's just a dance."

"She touches Maddie and I'm goin' Kung Fu on her ass!" London growled.

Back at the table Raven was doing some armchair cheerleading.

"Son of a bitch!" Raven spat. "Where the hell did she come from?"

"Raven? What's wrong?" Barbara asked, before looking out on the dance floor. "Damnit! Where the hell did she come from?"

Raven slowly turned her head and looked at Barbara. "What are you looking at?" Raven asked quizzically.

"Maddie and that Greek goddess over there. She came out of nowhere." Barbara said. She looked at Raven and realized that Raven might not know the extent of Barbara's knowledge of the situation. "I know about Maddie and London's thing for each other. London told me. I just hope that bitch Maddie's dancing with doesn't ruin everything."

"I knew there was a reason I liked you." Raven said nodding her head. "Well we can't go out there and pull her off of Maddie, now can we?" Raven asked sarcastically.

"No. But I have an idea." Barbara said as she spotted Alex within earshot. "Can you get Chelsea to move them closer to Maddie?"

"I'll try." Raven said. "What are you up to?"

"ALEX!" Barbara yelled. Alex turned and caught his eye as she motioned for him. Alex walked up to the two of them.

"Having fun ladies?" Alex said. Raven, meanwhile, got Chelsea's attention and through subtle hand signals got Chelsea to inch London closer to Maddie.

"Having a ball." Barbara said. "We need a huge favor."

"Anything you need." Alex said.

"Introduce me to the D.J." Barbara said. "It's time to push a couple of lovebirds out of the nest."

Raven watched Barbara and Alex walk over to the D.J. platform wondering what Barbara had in mind when a tall, beautiful dark-skinned woman that could pass for a fashion model approached her.

"May I buy you a drink?" The woman asked Raven.

Raven shook her head to herself. "Five months pregnant and still pullin' the honeys!" Raven whispered to herself. "Damn I'm fine!" She said before politely declining the offer.

The song came to an end. As the D.J. made a brief announcement, the woman that had intercepted Maddie leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"How about another dance…"

"Maddie." Maddie said. "And I'm flattered but I'm here for someone else… and I'm looking for her. But thank you." Maddie began walking away when the next song began. She dropped her head and smiled when she heard the opening notes. It was the house remix of Pink's U + Ur Hand, the same song they sang in the car before dinner the night before. She peeked past the throng on the dance floor and saw Chelsea. She moved in that direction. Chelsea saw Maddie approaching but chose to let Maddie announce her presence.

"I believe that's our song." Maddie whispered in London's ear. London froze for a moment then looked over her shoulder. "Mind if I cut in?" London turned back to look at Chelsea only to discover that she had suddenly disappeared.

"Looks like you don't have to. I'm suddenly available." London said before turning to face Maddie.

"Now where's the London that was freakin' up on Chelsea earlier?" Maddie asked.

"Oh, her?" London replied. "Right here." London pressed herself into Maddie and began the same rhythmic grind she had with Chelsea. Within seconds, their breathing became more shallow. The more the beat pulsated, the more comfortable they grew with each other.

London placed her hands around Maddie's neck, allowing the beat to take over her senses. Moments later, Maddie slowly turned London around facing away from her. London took that opportunity to press herself into Maddie even more.

Max walked up to Raven, Chelsea and Barbara at the table. As she toweled off, she noticed all three sets of eyes fixated on London and Maddie.

"Damn! They are workin' it!" Max said. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that they're about two dances away from…" All three of them looked up at Max with a look that rendered the completion of her sentence moot.

"Let's just say that Barbara and C.J. might not be the only rumble we hear this week." Raven said.

"You mean…?" Max started. Barbara simply looked at Max and slowly nodded her head.

London and Maddie breathlessly twisted and tangled their bodies; sweat glistening, hearts pounding. London's hands were locked firmly around Maddie's neck. She closed her eyes; her head leaned back, inhaling Maddie's scent. Maddie firmly grasped London's hips, feeling the back and forth sway, increasingly intoxicated by the feel of London's body on her fingertips.

As the song neared its end, London opened her eyes and looked back at Maddie, who was looking at her. The electricity of the moment was building rapidly. As the song ended, they found their lips mere millimeters from each other. They were both breathing as hard as they could remember. Their lips were parted slightly as the oxygen slowly began to return to their lungs. Seven years of angst, trepidation, hope and dreams were nearing a head.

_This has got to be the moment. _Maddie thought. _This feels right. _London said to herself. _It's time to tell her. _They both said in their heads.

The D.J. came back on the mic. "It's time to slow it down with a song from back in the day. This goes out to two special ladies from four friends that love you very much. Time to go back to the place you belong. Chris Daughtry. Home."

Chris Daughtry – Home

_I'm staring out into the night  
And trying to hide the pain  
I'm going to the place where love  
and feeling good don't ever cost a thing,  
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain_

London turned around to face Maddie, her arms still around Maddie's neck.

"I wonder who the song is dedicated to." London said in a whisper.

"Whoever they are must really be special." Maddie replied as they both grinned. They drew closer, dancing cheek-to-cheek as the smooth melody swept them away.

_I'm going home to the place where I belong  
where your love has always been enough for me  
I'm running from you know I think you got me all wrong  
I don't regret this life I chose for me  
But these places and these faces are getting old  
So I'm going home_

"Maddie, I need to say something to you." London said, still cheek-to-cheek with Maddie. "Something I meant to say to you when I left seven years ago…"

"I have something to say to you too." Maddie said. "But… you first."

_The miles are getting longer it seems  
The closer I get to you... babe  
I've not always been the best man and friend for you  
But your love remains true and I don't know why  
You always seem to give me another try_

"I was hoping you'd let me go first." London said before pulling back to look at Maddie then slowly leaning in and capturing Maddie's lips in the sweetest of soft kisses.

_I'm going home  
To the place where I belong  
Where your love has always been good enough for me  
I'm running from you know I think you got me all wrong  
I don't regret this life I chose for me  
But these places and these faces are getting old  
Be careful what you wish for  
cause you just might get it all_

London was the first to break the kiss. "I am in love with you Maddie." London said. "I was in love with you seven years ago. I never stopped being in love you when I was in Paris and I am still in love with you. I am so sorry that I left without saying goodbye… and if you'll have me, I'll never leave you again."

_You just might get it all and then some you don't want  
be careful what you wish for cause you just might get it all  
You just might get it all_

"London. I am in love with you too. I loved you then and I love you even more now. I can't stop thinking about you." Several tears began to fall. "I love you so much. I need you in my life." Maddie leaned in to kiss London again with increased passion.

_I'm going home to the place where I belong  
Where your love has always been enough for me_

"Well, since I'm your newest neighbor, you'll have me in your life a lot more often." London said.

"Did you…?"

"I go to settlement on Monday. I'm coming home." London said before capturing Maddie in the most passionate of their dance floor kisses yet.

_And I'm running from… you know I think you got me all wrong  
I don't regret this life I chose for me  
But these places and these faces are getting old  
But these places and these faces are getting old  
I'm going home  
I'm going home_

"I'm going home too." Maddie said echoing Chris Daughtry's last verse. "And you're coming with me." Maddie planted a soft kiss on London's lips.

"Yay me." London said with soft sensuality.

Raven, Chelsea, Barbara and Max were all in tears as they witnessed the beginning of a new love affair.

"That was so sweet." Chelsea said, choking back tears.

"Yeah, it was." Raven said, wiping her tears away. "Nice song choices, Babs." Barbara smiled.

"I need to call Zack." Max sniffed as she stepped away to call her man.

London and Maddie walked back over to the table hand-in-hand with warm smiles on their faces.

"We're calling it a night, guys." Maddie said.

"We figured as much." Chelsea said.

"Call us tomorrow… or whenever." Raven said.

London walked over to Raven and threw her arms around Raven's neck, her eyes glistening with fresh tears. "Thank you so much. I love you."

"I'm so happy for you." Raven said.

Maddie walked up to Raven. "I guess tonight was the night."

"I guess so." Raven said as she embraced Maddie.

London threw her arms around Chelsea's neck. "Too hot for words on that dance floor. Thank you. I love you."

"Go get 'er Tiger." Chelsea said planting a kiss on London's cheek.

"Blondie!" "Red!" Chelsea and Maddie excitedly exchanged nicknames before embracing. "You two look great together." Chelsea added.

London clasped hands with Maddie then shot Barbara a quick wink that Barbara returned before London and Maddie turned for the exit.

As they reached Maddie's car, Maddie stopped in her tracks.

"Before you get in…" Maddie said. "There is something that I have wanted to do ever since I bought this car."

"What's that?" London asked.

Maddie closed the distance between them and began hungrily kissing London. She moved from London's lips to her neck with lightening speed. "Start outside…" Maddie said as she fumbled for, then found the passenger door handle and opened the door. "And just keep goin'." She backed London into the car as she continued to passionately cover London with kisses. London managed to successfully back herself into the car, even with Maddie all over her.

"This time…" London said in between kisses. "The speeding ticket… is on me." London righted herself and, after another passionate kiss, cranked up the car and peeled out of the parking lot.

_I'm going home to the place where I belong  
where your love has always been enough for me  
I'm running from you know I think you got me all wrong  
I don't regret this life I chose for me  
But these places and these faces are getting old  
So I'm going home_

They reached Maddie's garage in near-record time without being stopped by the police. London could barely shut off the engine before Maddie practically climbed into her lap kissing her. They remained in the car for several moments before finally jumping out of the car. The ride up in the elevator was more of the same. After seven long years, keeping their hands and mouths off of one another was no longer an option.

When the elevator doors opened, they spilled out of the elevator. The trip from the elevator to Maddie's door took twice as long due to the heavy make out session the two of them were fully engaged in. Maddie managed to unlock the door without breaking her kiss with London. They stepped inside and with a twirl; London closed the door by pressing Maddie's back into it. It was then that the reality of what was about to take place set in.

They stopped momentarily and took a long look into each other's eyes. Without breaking their gaze, London placed her hands on top of Maddie's and guided them down to the top button of Maddie's jeans. Maddie let out a quivering breath as the button popped free. The shallowness of her breath made her chest visibly rise as she guided London's hand onto the zipper and slowly slid it down. London allowed her fingertips to dance across the sensitive skin of Maddie's lower abdomen before Maddie gently took her hand and painstakingly slid London's fingers underneath the waistband of her black lacy boy short underwear.

London grazed the strip of soft blonde hair that led downward. Maddie licked her lips just before London made first contact.

Maddie's mouth formed a perfect "O" as she exhaled a single quivering breath as London touched her clit for the very first time. Her eyes remained opened and locked on London's face, her mind determined to capture every bit of the opening moments of their lovemaking. London began planting soft kisses on Maddie's lips that intensified the chills already shooting through her body.

For the first time, Maddie broke eye contact as her head leaned back against the door, eyes closed in erotic blissfulness. With both hands she caressed London's hand, slightly pushing it into her from outside her jeans as London continued exploring Maddie's center.

"Oh… God… Lon… don." Maddie breathlessly said. "I… wanted… you… this… so… bad."

With her lips nearly touching Maddie's, London responded. "I'm right here… and I'm not going anywhere." London touched Maddie again.

"Unhhhh… Are you… gonna… make me… come right here?" Maddie asked.

"That's not up to me." London said softly.

"Bedroom." Maddie said.

"Good idea." London answered.

They walked into the bedroom and stopped at the edge of the bed.

"I… have dreamt about this moment for seven years." Maddie said.

London stepped forward and cupped Maddie's face. "Tonight… (kiss)… is the night… (kiss)… that I make… (kiss)… all your dreams… (kiss)… come true."

Maddie took a step back before grasping the bottom of her tank top and slowly pulling it over her head. London matched Maddie's movements by slowly removing her sheer top. They both continued to search each other's eyes as they both slowly reached behind them to unhook their bras. They each slowly slid their respective garments from their shoulders and let them fall aimlessly to the floor. Their eyes trailed slowly from their bare shoulders down to their collarbones across their full and supple breasts and down to their stomachs before trailing back up and reconnecting.

London stepped forward to capture Maddie in another breathless kiss. The feel of each other's warm skin and taut nipples against the other caused them both to moan softly. London hooked her thumbs underneath the waistband of the jeans and the underpants, sliding them both down in one slow, fluid motion.

Maddie turned London around and slowly slid down the zipper of London's skirt and with a light tug let it fall harmlessly to the floor. The green lace boy shorts London wore met the same fate.

London began kissing down Maddie's collarbone, continuing to kiss down the valley between her breasts before kissing her way over and taking one of them into her mouth.

"Ahhh." Maddie's breathless response as her head fell back. London soon switched to the other breast. "Mmmm…" Maddie moaned as London lightly sucked on the other nipple. Still standing near the foot of the bed, Maddie leaned back onto the bed, propping herself up with both arms.

"Now where was I?" London softly asked as she stepped to her left and placed her palm flat on Maddie's stomach, fingers pointing down and slowly slid her hand down. Her hand glided over the quivering flesh below. When her middle finger reached its destination and began making small circles, Maddie cried out. "OH… God, yes!" Maddie's breathing was shallow and labored as London expertly caressed her.

"London… please… kiss me there." Maddie's plea was urgent. London kissed her lips deeply before responding.

"I will… but first…" London said then slid her middle finger inside.

"Ohhhh… sweet Jesus!" Maddie cried out as she practically melted at the entry of London's finger. "The kiss… can wait… for a minute… AAAHHH!"

Maddie lowered herself onto her back and continued to cry out in ecstasy. London withdrew her finger and began kissing Maddie stomach beginning her arduous descent. Maddie's body shook in anticipation of the feel of London's warm mouth on its center. London looked up at Maddie one last time before the first kiss.

"Ahh! London!" Maddie bellowed in a voice several octaves higher than normal. The second kiss elevated Maddie's torso off of the bed. "Feels… so… good… AAAGGGHH!" London reached up, slowly dragging her nails down Maddie's torso. She then gently took Maddie's clit into her mouth and began sucking it. "OH… GOD!" Maddie turned her face to her pillow, bit into it and screamed. London felt a surge of adrenaline flow through her as she applied more sucking pressure. And then… it happened.

"OH MY GOD! LONDON!… OOOWWWWWW!" Maddie's scream signaled the sudden arrival of a powerful orgasm that snuck up on her out of nowhere. Maddie began frantically panting. "OH, OH, OH, OH, OH!" London never checked her speed as she continued sucking Maddie. Her body barely had time to recover from her orgasm when lightening decided to strike a second time. "OH MY… AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" Maddie's eyes reflexively opened and stretched then rolled back in her head. She let out a long breath. She had never in her life had back-to-back orgasms. Maddie looked down at London in pleasant disbelief.

"Mmmm." London hummed as she looked up at Maddie, bit her bottom lip and grinned a sexy grin.

"If that's what it's going to be like after seven years… I'll see you in 2024." Maddie breathlessly joked. "Come here."

London slid up, running her hand over Maddie's warm flesh as she moved eliciting a shudder from her.

"I hope it was worth the wait." London purred, kissing Maddie softly.

Maddie chuckled, returning London's soft kiss. "Oh, it was. But there is just one thing."

"What's that?"

In one swift move, Maddie flipped London onto her back. London gasped as she felt Maddie's weight on top of her. Maddie's blonde hair fell down around her face casting a sexy, tousled shadow.

"Scratching your seven-year itch." Maddie answered in a low, sexy growl. She pressed a knee into London's center, causing the dark-haired temptress to draw breath between her teeth. Maddie lowered her head and began sucking on London's pulse point.

"AAHH! How did… you find my… spot so quick? MMMM!" London asked.

"I know you better than you know yourself." Maddie proclaimed as she continued her pleasuring of London's neck.

"Is… that… right?" London managed to eke out.

"Yeah. Our personalities switch, when we are making love." Maddie said as she lowered herself from London's neck to her collarbone, heading for London's erect nipples. "Watch this…" Maddie placed her mouth around London's nipple and began sucking.

"SHIT!" London spat in pleasure.

"See? You curse in bed. I don't." Maddie said briefly looking up at London.

"That's not true." London replied. "Just now was just one time."

"Really?" Maddie said before applying more continuous sucking pressure to London's nipple.

"FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK FUUUUCK!" London's stream of f-bombs proved Maddie's point.

"See what I mean?" Maddie smirked.

"Maddie… I love you…but please shut up and make love to me." London said.

"That's not what you want to say." Maddie said as she continued her southerly trail, planting kisses down London's body. "Say what you really want to say." Maddie arrived at London's belly button. She began swirling it with her tongue. London moaned and quivered in anticipation. "Come on say it."

"Maddie, shut up and fuck me." London said.

"Atta girl." Maddie said before rapidly descending upon London.

"AAAHHH, SHIT YESSSSSS!" London screamed as Maddie's tongue flicked against her for the first time. The heiress deliciously arched her back allowing the heat from Maddie's tongue to set her on fire. Maddie applied consistent pressure on London's center, keeping her level of arousal and the same heightened level for close to ten minutes.

"OH MY GOD! Maddie!" London squeezed out as senses were on maximum overload. Tears began to stream down London's face. For the first time in her adult life, she felt whole. The large piece of her life that she felt was missing had been found. She belonged to Maddie. Maddie belonged to her.

London ran her fingers through Maddie's blonde tresses then pressed Maddie into her. "Baby, please." London whispered. "Please." Without asking what London might have meant with her plea, Maddie slowly entered London with her tongue. London lifted her hips off of the bed and cried out, "AHHH… GOD… DAMN!… BABY, YEAH!"

London's smooth skin glistened with sweat. Her pulse raced and her body tensed as her climax neared. Maddie continued sliding her tongue inside London at a moderate pace. The only sound inside Maddie's bedroom was London's breathless panting. The Asian beauty then brought her hand down to her center and began massaging her clit. Maddie smiled to herself sensing that the end was near. The closer London got, the more she let Maddie know.

"UNH-HUH… UNH-HUH… UNH-HUH… UNH-HUH… …" Then London's body began riding the wave of the single-most satisfying climax of her life. "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

London's breathing

* * *

began to slow but was still very labored. Maddie lifted her head and began planting kisses on London's stomach. London reached down and ran her finger through Maddie's hair again and cupped her face. "Maddie." London whispered softly.

"My name has never sounded so good." Maddie whispered. London smiled.

"Can I ask you a question?" London whispered sweetly.

"Anything." Maddie responded.

"You waited seven years and that's the best you got?" London tried to deadpan her question but her facial muscles betrayed her and showed a smirk.

Maddie burst out in laughter and dropped her head onto London's stomach. London could feel the vibration of Maddie's laughter travel throughout her body.

"You're just trying to coax a better orgasm out of me for yourself." Maddie said, peeping London's game. "Sweetheart, let me let you in on a little secret with me. You don't have to coax. All you have to do…" Maddie said as she lowered her head between London's thighs. "…is ask." Maddie began round two of their lovemaking, taking London by surprise.

"AAAAGGGHHH!" London cried out. "So… does… this mean… we're… officially… a couple? MMMMM!"

Maddie slowly licked London from her entrance up to her clit in one fluid motion eliciting another scream. "You could say that." Maddie them planted a soft kiss on London's clit. "Yes, we're a couple." She then took London's clit into her mouth and sucked hard causing London to cry out before she could respond to Maddie's answer.

London responded in the only way London Tipton could respond in that situation.

"Yay… OH GOD MADDIE YESSSS!" London never got to finish her signature catchphrase.

* * *

**I hope Chapter 10 was worth the wait. Thanks for coming this far. I think the next chapter is the last one. Come back and see how this ends. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	11. Countdown To A Wedding

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**

* * *

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**REQUITED**

_**Chapter 11**_

**Countdown to a Wedding **

**Thursday, April 13, 2017 – 7 a.m.**

**Maddie's Apartment, 42 Chauncy Street**

The sun illuminated the backside of the Venetian blinds inside Maddie's bedroom. London's body seemed to melt perfectly into the soft Queen-sized bed. As she began to awaken, there was a smile etched on her face. It was the morning after the night that was. She and Maddie had professed their love to one another. Their love turned into passion that turned into a night that London would never forget. Maddie's scent still filled her nostrils. Her taste was still on her lips. Just before she opened her eyes, she imagined seeing Maddie staring softly at her, ready for round five… or was it six? London had lost count at that point.

London cracked her eyes open slightly and began to peel back the covers. The cool morning air danced across her nipples, instantly drawing them into a state of arousal. She slowly stretched her sleepiness away and began to blink her eyes open to focus them. She slowly looked around. She was alone. _Maddie must be in the kitchen. _She thought.

London slid off the bed and went to the bathroom. Remembering that Maddie had bought her a toothbrush, she brushed her teeth then returned to the bedroom. As her eyes and brain continued to sync up, her eyes fell upon a piece of paper propped up against the lamp on the nightstand. From the sweep of the cursive L in London, she knew that it was a note from Maddie. London picked it up and opened it to read:

_**London,**_

_**Words cannot describe the beauty that was last night. You are as wonderful a lover as you are a person. If it's possible, I am even more in love with you this morning than I was last night… and I was REALLY in love with you last night! The only reason I am not lying next to you, embracing you, kissing you right now is this case that I am working on. But the second, and I mean the second, I am done, I am coming back to you.**_

_**My place is your place. Make yourself at home. I left a spare key on the kitchen counter. It's your key now. Come and go as you please. I left the entry code there as well. Fresh muffins are on the counter and juice in the fridge.**_

_**I love you. I miss you. And I will see you soon.**_

_**Yours forever,**_

_**Madeline**_

London wiped the tears from her eyes. "Oh, baby." She whispered. "You are so sweet. I am gonna call you right now to tell you how much I love you." London looked lovingly at the note.

"Or you could just look up and tell me in person."

London looked up from the note and saw Maddie standing in the bedroom doorway. Maddie was dressed in a simple black pinstripe dress suit, white blouse and three-inch black heels.

"I got down to the end of the block and I said to myself that there was no way I was going to miss seeing you wake up." Maddie said. "I loved watching you stretch. You are so beautiful."

"You stole my line. I was going to say that." London said.

"You still can." Maddie said.

"You are so beautiful." London purred. Maddie gazed at London in part-awe, part-love, part-lust. "Don't make me come over there."

"I'm already late." Maddie responded. "What's another few minutes?" Maddie called what she believed was London's bluff. She swallowed hard when she saw London slide out of the bed and take a step toward her. "London?"

"What?" London said as she walked over to Maddie and stood in front of her as naked as the day she was born.

"I don't have time to get re-dressed or re-do my hair." Maddie said, her voice slightly trembling.

"Don't worry. You won't have to." London looked Maddie in the eye, and then undid the clasp of Maddie's slacks. Maddie blew out a shaky breath. London then slowly slid the zipper down. "What time is it?" London said very softly.

"Seven-fifteen." Maddie whispered.

"Thank you." London whispered back before sliding her hand inside Maddie's underwear and stroking her. Maddie gasped as London pressed her against the doorframe. "Thank you for coming back to let me say goodbye this morning."

"You're… welcome." Maddie strained to say. "I… won't… be able… to concentrate… today… thinking… about… this."

"Yes, you will." London purred. "It'll give you incentive to come back home."

"My God." Maddie whispered. "This is… the most erotic thing… I've ever done."

"Me too." London said. "And this is the most beautiful sound I've ever heard." London slid her fingers inside Maddie's wet center. Maddie cried out in a whimper.

"Lon… don… Oh… my…"

"Shhh." London whispered. "Just come for me."

As if her body was waiting for those words, Maddie closed her eyes as her body seized then released. This was a warm, sensual orgasm that blanketed Maddie. London punctuated this encounter with one simple kiss placed softly on the lips.

"Now you can go to work." London whispered in Maddie's ear. "I'll be waiting just like this when you come back." London zipped and clasped Maddie's pants. Maddie was about to speak when London shushed her. "Go to work, baby. I'll be right here when you get back."

**Thursday, April 13, 2017 – 4 p.m.**

**Maddie's Apartment, 42 Chauncy Street**

Maddie and London lay in each other's arms, basking in the afterglow of another "making up for lost time" lovemaking session. London delivered on her promise to wait naked for Maddie to return. They were in the middle of a round of dozing when the phone rang.

"This is Maddie. Leave a message and I'll call you back. If I don't call you back… then oh well."

"_Maddie! It's Barbara! Please pick up! This is an emergency! I am so sorry to call you today! Maddie! Shit!…" _Maddie picked up in mid-rant.

"Barbara? What's wrong?" London immediately sat straight up in the bed upon hearing Maddie.

"_Maddie! I need your help. Is London with you?" _Barbara sounded frantic.

"She's right here. What's going on?" Maddie inquired nervously. London put her ear up to the phone.

"My best friend and her cousin are my bridesmaids." Barbara started. "They're were supposed to be flying in from Denver for the rehearsal dinner and the wedding but they're snowed in! Goddamn freak April snowstorm! They can't make it! Two days before the wedding and I'm missing my two bridesmaids! Will you and London please be in my wedding? Please? I don't know what else…" Barbara began sobbing on the other end of the phone.

"Barbara, of course we will. We'll be in your wedding. We just need to know what color dresses to get." Maddie said calmly.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you, Maddie! Thank you, London! I didn't know what I'd do without you!" Barbara began weeping again.

"It's okay. Don't worry about a thing. Stop crying." Maddie said.

"I'll… show you the color tonight at rehearsal. It's at 6:30 at the church." Barbara said sniffing her tears.

"We'll be there." Maddie said.

"Okay. I've got to go. They have to change the programs. I love you guys. Bye." Barbara said before hanging up the phone.

Maddie looked over at London. "I guess we're gonna be in a wedding."

London sighed. "I guess so."

**Thursday, April 13, 2017 – 8 p.m.**

**Meritage Restaurant, 70 Rowes Wharf – Private Party Room**

"Mr. And Mrs. Brownstein, thank you again for the wonderful dinner, even though we haven't been served yet." Zack said with a chuckle.

"It is our pleasure, Zack. It's not every day our little girl gets married." Thom Brownstein said.

"Dad! I am 24 and getting married and you're still calling me your little girl." Barbara said with an air of embarrassment.

"You will always be our little girl. Even if when you get as old as us." Elaine Brownstein added.

"I love you guys so much." Barbara said. "And I want to thank each and every one of you for being here for us." Barbara looked around the table at the members of her wedding party; Max, her maid of honor, London and Maddie, her two bridesmaids, her fiancé C.J., Zack, his best man and his two groomsmen, Bob and Marion Moesby. Also in attendance was the mother of the bride Carey and her companion for the evening and the wedding, Arwin.

Zack stood up and tapped his water glass with his knife. Cheers of "Toast! Toast! Toast!" rang out from the table followed by shushing. Several members of the wait staff came in to move some items that had been left in the corner of the room.

"I would like to propose a toast…" Zack began. "To the beautiful bride, Barbara. I don't know what in the hell you would want with my brother…" The whole table burst out in laughter. "But since you picked him, we are so glad to have you in our family. I know I speak for my mother when I say that you are not an in-law to us. You are family. You are a Martin. To Barbara." He raised his glass. The whole table joined in. "TO BARBARA!"

Zack moved on to his brother. "And to my brother, Cody James Martin. The man, the myth, the legend…" C.J. popped his collar, earning chuckles from the others. "You have got to be the luckiest son-of-a-gun in the world. You got a beautiful woman like this to agree to marry you. And look at you…" That comment drew ooh's around the table. "I'm just kidding. Seriously. Even though we are twins, I have always looked up to C.J. No matter what the situation, he has always looked out for me."

"I didn't have a choice. You'd have ended up in jail or on the side of a milk carton if I didn't." C.J. joked. More snickering could be heard at the table.

"It's true. It's true. I would have become an arch criminal if it hadn't been for C.J." Zack admitted. "But I also would have become someone who didn't know how to work hard for what they want out of life, someone who didn't know how to earn the respect of others and most importantly, I wouldn't have learned to truly appreciate the love of a good woman without my brother." Zack turned his head to look at Max. He then continued.

"So I want to say congratulations to C.J. for his upcoming nuptials. I am proud of you. And from the bottom of my heart, I love you. Thank you for being my brother, my conscience and my best friend. To C.J." Zack once again raised his glass as the table joined in. "TO C.J.!"

"One last thing! One last thing." Zack continued. "A special thank you to C.J. and Barbara for not only setting a wonderful example of what true love and commitment is all about, but for inspiring me to follow their example. Maxine…" Zack pulled the same box from his jacket that he had shown London earlier in the week and dropped to one knee. Gasps could be heard from those at the table who didn't know this was coming. Smiles could be seen on the faces of those that did.

"Zack?" Max scooted back in her chair in shock over what she thought was about to happen.

"I have been doing a lot of soul searching over the last few months about what I want to do with the rest of my life. And the one thing that I keep coming back to is that I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Zack started. Tears began to stream down Max's face. She bit her lip in an attempt to keep herself from completely breaking down.

"Oh my God, Zack!" Max whisper-yelled.

"So I was wondering… if you weren't doing anything for the rest of your life, would you spend it with me?" Zack then opened the box, revealing the one-carat oval diamond ring. "Maxine Vaughn… will you marry me?"

Max dropped her head as her tears fell. She then slowly lifted her head and began nodding. After several seconds she added the words. "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you." She began crying tears of joy. The table erupted in applause and cheers. Max and Zack embraced, holding on tightly to each other for over a minute. "I love you so much, Zack!" Max's words were slightly muffled but still understandable. They slowly pulled apart as Max began wiping her tears. The rest of the women at the table did the same.

"I love you too, baby." Zack said softly, wiping away tears of his own.

"This is beautiful!" Max said looking down at the ring. "This was perfect. I just wish my family could have seen this."

Zack smiled. "Who said they didn't?" Just then, the three members of the wait staff turned to face the table, revealing themselves to be Max's mother, father and older sister.

"OH MY GOD!" Max jumped up from the table and ran over to them embracing them in a tight group hug.

Carey leaned over to London. "I guess you'll be making another trip to the states for another Martin wedding."

"Actually, I'll just be driving down the street." London said. "I bought a condo in Maddie's building yesterday. I'm moving back to Boston."

"You're coming home?" Carey exclaimed, causing all other conversation to cease.

"We can talk about this later. I'm not about to steal any thunder from C.J. and Barbara… and Zack and Max for that matter." London said.

"Oh, just go ahead and tell them! You're not stealing my thunder!" Barbara said.

Max jumped in. "Mine either! It's a celebration for everyone. You've got something to celebrate too."

"Are you sure?" London asked, looking at Max, then Barbara, then Maddie.

"If you don't tell them, I will." Barbara said.

"Okay." London said. She then turned to Maddie. "Ready?" Maddie nodded.

"Maddie and I officially became a couple last night." London proclaimed proudly.

Marion smiled. Zack and C.J. nodded and pumped their fists in the air, then looked at each other.

"You knew?" Zack said.

"Yeah. Maddie told me she liked London. You?" C.J. said.

"London told me the same thing about Maddie." Zack admitted.

"Moesby?" Carey said.

"I put two and two together and figured out that our little girls were in love." Marion said.

"I am sorry if anyone is offended by us but we're in love and it's going to stay that way." Maddie said.

"Can I ask you one question, sweetheart?" Elaine, Barbara's mother, asked.

"Of course, Mrs. Brownstein." Maddie said.

"Are the two of you happy together?" Elaine asked.

"Very." London chimed in. Maddie nodded in agreement.

"Then to me, that's what matters the most. To London and Maddie." Elaine said. She looked around the table. One by one, glasses were raised skyward. "TO LONDON AND MADDIE." The table declared in unison.

"You two are something else." Carey said. "I wish you much happiness."

"Thank you." Maddie said. "Coming from family and friends, that means a lot."

"I love you." London said to Maddie.

"I love you more." Maddie returned the sentiment as she leaned in for a soft kiss.

"Hey! Get a room!" Zack teased.

London smiled then leaned in to whisper in Maddie's ear. "Good idea. How 'bout we stay in my room tonight?"

Maddie grinned. "Tipton? I like the way you think."

**Saturday, April 15, 2017 – 12:30 p.m.**

**Presidential Suite – Tipton Hotel**

"You got everything you need?" London asked.

"My makeup bag is right here. I'll do my makeup at the church. How's my hair?" Maddie asked.

"Elegantly beautiful. How about mine?" London asked.

"You're London Tipton. Duh!" Maddie said.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Blondie!" London fired back.

"Will it get us to the church on time? Cause I don't want to rush and sweat. That's so icky!" Maddie responded.

"We'll be fine. We're supposed to get there by one-thirty." London assured.

"And our dresses…"

"Raven said they would be there when we get there." London said. "Her seamstress is phenomenal."

Maddie took a deep breath. "All right that's everything. Let's go."

They stepped off the elevator in the lobby and ran into an old friend.

"Miley? Miley Stewart!" London exclaimed.

"Hey Guys!" Miley said as she came over to embrace the two of them. "I was hoping I'd run into the two of you!"

"How have you been?" Maddie asked.

"All things considered, I've been holding up well." Miley said.

"I'm sorry to hear about your divorce. It's got to be tough going through that, especially in public." London said.

"It is. But at least I've got my re-born country career and my best friend Lily. She has been really… great." Miley said.

"Miley?" Maddie said. "Was that 'great' I just heard a little loaded?"

"Why do you say that?" Miley asked.

"It just sounded like a very good 'great'. That's all." Maddie said.

"Yeah." London said. "The last couple of days, Maddie has been 'great' to me too."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Sweet niblets, y'all!" Miley exclaimed. "We haven't reached THAT level of greatness yet! She doesn't even know how 'great' I think she is. It's just… this whole divorce thing with Jake has just… look, y'all look like you're on your way to the church so I won't keep you. Maybe I'll catch up to you at the reception."

"Count on it." London said.

"Take care, Miley! See you later!" Maddie said as she and London rushed out to the valet stand. "It was good seeing her!" Maddie said to London.

London responded. "Yeah, I hope things with her and Lily turn out all right."

**3:45 p.m. – St. Paul's Church – Bridal Chamber**

"Is this wedding actually gonna start on time?" Barbara asked as Max put the finishing touches on her makeup.

"Things are looking good." Her coordinator, Robin, said. "Five after at the latest."

"Okay… All set!" Max said. "Now nobody cry. Anyone cries and causes her to cry and mess up her makeup and I'll punch you in the throat!" Max warned. "Stand up, sweetie." Barbara stood up and turned to face everyone. Every woman in the room gasped.

"You look beautiful." London said dreamily.

Barbara wore a white strapless gown that flared out in large ruffles at the bottom. The train of the dress was six feet long. The simple headpiece flowed effortlessly down her back extending three feet. Her neck was adorned with a diamond and emerald necklace that belonged to her grandmother.

"You look more beautiful that I did on my wedding day… And I was gorgeous!" Elaine Brownstein said purposely trying to induce laughter.

"I'm gonna check on the guys." Robin said as she stepped out of the room.

"I am starving! I'll be so glad to get out of this dress so I can eat!" Barbara said.

"There's gonna be food at the reception." Max said.

"Bird food. I need real food! Something that'll stick to your ribs!" Barbara said.

"C.J. will stick to your ribs all right!" Maddie said with a smirk earning a high-five from London.

"You're wedding morning after will be beautiful." Elaine said.

"Morning after? What about the wedding night?" London asked.

"They'll be so tired after today, all they'll want to do tonight is sleep." Elaine said.

"Whatever! I am gonna…" Barbara caught herself, realizing her mother was in the room. "… Enjoy my wedding night." Barbara said calmly.

"Funny…" Elaine said. "I thought you were gonna say you were gonna get-your-freak-on." The younger women fell out laughing when Barbara's mother said that.

Robin stepped back inside the room. "All right ladies! It's showtime! Miss Barbara Elizabeth Brownstein… time to go get your man!"

"Before you go…" Elaine said. "Something old?"

"Grandma's necklace." Barbara answered.

"New?"

"My underwear." Barbara said. London and Maddie looked at her funny. "For tonight… breathtaking." Barbara flashed a smile and peeked her tongue between her teeth.

"Borrowed?"

"Your tennis bracelet."

"Blue?"

"Blue handkerchief. When I start crying." Barbara said.

"Okay, Robin. She's good to go." Elaine said.

"Okay, Barbara. Your father is on the other side of this door. You ready for him to see you?" Robin said.

Barbara took a deep breath. "Ready." Robin opened the door and Barbara stepped out. Thom Brownstein used every ounce of self-control not to burst out into tears.

"My beautiful little angel." Thom said. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you Daddy. I love you." Barbara said sweetly.

"I love you too." Thom said.

Robin lined everyone up and went over a few last minute instructions.

"Does anyone have any questions?" Robin asked. Everyone remained silent. "Okay. Here we go." Robin stepped to the side. She quietly spoke into her headset to her assistant inside the sanctuary who was stationed near the audio technician. "Cue intro music."

The opening notes of Johann Pachelbel's _Canon in D Major, _filled the church as 200 invitees turned in their seats to watch the bridal party begin their journey down the aisle. At the front of the church, Zack attempted to give C.J. one last out.

"Last chance. Side door is that way." Zack joked.

"Nope. I'm good." C.J. replied.

One by one, the bridal party filed down the aisle and took their places. When they had all reached their destination, only two people remained.

"Most important walk of your life." Robin said to Barbara. "Own it. It's yours." Barbara smiled.

"Let's go put a smile on C.J.'s face." Thom said to his daughter who smiled back.

"Cue the bridal chorus." Robin said.

The opening notes of Richard Wagner's _Wedding March_, otherwise known as _Here Comes the Bride_, brought everyone to their feet.

The ushers whisked the doors open allowing the guests their first glimpse of the bride. Barbara took Robin's words to heart. She owned the walk. She was the beautiful, confident, magnetic bride that everyone knew she could be. C.J. was mesmerized by the sight of the love of his life coming toward him.

The music concluded as Barbara took her place. Thom remained behind C.J. and his daughter, awaiting his cue to sit. The minister began the ceremony.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God – and in the face of this company – to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore – is not by any – to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly – but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together – let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Barbara, in a premeditated move that she told no one about, spun around and glared at the audience. "Try it if you want to!" Barbara said. The guests burst into laughter. Even the minister had to drop his head and chuckle at her successful attempt at levity.

"Now that Barbara has scared you into silence…" The minister's comment earned another laugh from the guests. "Marriage is the union of husband and wife in heart, body and mind. It is intended for their mutual joy – and for the help and comfort given on another in prosperity and adversity. But more importantly – it is a means through which a stable and loving environment may be attained."

As the ceremony continued, all couples, wannabe couples and soon-to-be couples exchanged looks of bliss. Weddings tend to bring out the romantic in all those who attend, even the most cynical.

"She looks so happy." London whispered to Maddie behind her. _If I was standing up there with Maddie, I'd be happy too._

"I know." Maddie said. _Maybe that'll be us one day. _She thought.

"Do you Cody take Barbara to be your lawfully wedded wife – to live together after God's ordinance – in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her…"

Maddie found herself drifting into a daydream…

"_Do you Madeline take London to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?"_

"_I will."_ Maddie says, looking lovingly into London's eyes.

"_Do you London take Madeline to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?"_

"_I will."_ London gazes deeply into Maddie's eyes as she affirms her love.

_Madeline, in placing this ring on London's finger, repeat after me: London, you are now consecrated to me as my wife from this day forward and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity and with this ring, I thee wed._

Maddie repeats the minister's words. London repeats the minister's words as well.

"_In as much as Madeline and London have consented together in marriage before this company of friends and family and have pledged their faith – and declared their unity by giving and receiving a ring – are now joined. You have pronounced yourselves life partners but remember to always be each other's best friend. And so, by the power vested in me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you wife and wife – and may your days be good and long upon the earth. You may now kiss the bride."_

Maddie slips out of her daydream just in time to hear…

"In as much as Cody and Barbara have consented together in marriage before this company of friends and family and have pledged their faith – and declared their unity by giving and receiving a ring – are now joined. You have pronounced yourselves husband and wife but remember to always be each other's best friend. What – therefore – God has joined together – let no man put asunder. And so, by the power vested in me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Almighty God, I now pronounce you man and wife – and may your days be good and long upon the earth. You may now kiss the bride."

Felix Mendelssohn's Wedding March sounded as soon as C.J. and Barbara's lips parted.

The minister had one final proclamation. "I now have the honor of introducing to you for the first time in life, Mr. And Mrs. Cody James Martin!"

* * *

**Okay. One more chapter. I am simply not finished yet. Chapter twelve is indeed the final chapter. Hang on! We've got one more lap to go! PLEASE REVIEW.**


	12. The Search For Tomorrow

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: I am willing to bet my car that most of you would look at the title of the chapter and say "Okay. The Search For Tomorrow… catchy." but not know what it means. The Search For Tomorrow was an American soap opera that ran from 1951 to 1986, first on CBS then on NBC. I chose that title for one simple reason. Aren't we all living today, searching for tomorrow?**

**

* * *

**

**REQUITED**

_**Chapter 12**_

**The Search For Tomorrow **

**Saturday, April 15, 2017 – 6:30 p.m.**

**Main Ballroom – Tipton Hotel**

**Barbara and C.J.'s Reception**

The pictures had been taken; the introductions had been made. The reception was well underway. It was a magical time for Barbara and C.J. It was a magical time for everyone. Not a single frown could be found inside the main ballroom of the Tipton. Love was in the air.

"Barbara Elizabeth Martin. How does that sound?" C.J. asked.

"Natural… and wonderful." Barbara answered. "This is so surreal."

"It is a wonderful day." C.J. said. "The only thing missing was… WOW!"

"What, baby?" Barbara asked.

"You only see ironic timing like this on TV and in the movies." C.J. said. "Look."

Barbara looked toward the back of the ballroom and saw what C.J. was talking about. Striding into the ballroom, dressed in a black, pinstripe suit was C.J and Cody's father, Kurt Martin.

"I'll be damned. I didn't think he'd show up." C.J. said. "Zack." C.J. tapped his arm to get his attention. "Check it out."

"Dad?" Zack said incredulously.

Several years earlier, C.J. and his father had a falling out over a lot of unresolved issues from C.J.'s youth, mainly the lack of time he spent with his sons. Kurt had kept in touch with Zack, but hadn't spoken to C.J. in close to three years. Kurt looked around before taking a seat in the back of the ballroom.

"Should I go say hello?" C.J. asked.

"You made the first move by inviting him. He made the next move by showing up." Zack said. "Ball's in your court now."

C.J. nodded, then stood up and stepped down off the dais. Before making his way back, he stopped by his mother's table. Carey was laughing and joking with Arwin and Esteban when C.J. stepped up.

"Oh! Sweetie! We were just talking about the time I was 'Plunger Girl' for the Maintenance Games…" Carey began cracking up. "I had… to carry that damned plunger around… looking like I was going… to the Ty-D-Bowl Ball!" Arwin and Esteban joined in the laughter. C.J. smiled.

"Mom." The seriousness of C.J.'s tone hushed Carey's laughter.

"What is it, Sweetie?" Carey's voice showed concern.

"Dad's here." C.J. said. "I'm gonna go say hello."

"You gonna be okay?"

"It's my wedding day. I'll be fine." C.J. said as he kissed his mother on the forehead and walked back to where his father was seated. Kurt stood up as his son approached the table.

"Congratulations, Son." Kurt said. "She's a beautiful bride." Kurt extended his hand.

"Thanks for coming." C.J. said as he shook his father's hand.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I missed a connecting flight in Baltimore."

"It's okay. I'm just glad you made it."

"Son, I want to apologize… for everything." Kurt said. "The same reason I lost your mother was the same reason I lost you. I was selfish, only thinking of myself. I'd like to think I've changed… grown up a little. I can't change what happened or give you back the time we lost… but I'm asking you to give me a chance. I missed my chance to be a father, but I would be honored if I can call you my friend."

C.J. dropped his head in thought. He then looked back at the dais and saw Barbara and Zack looking at him.

"Our children are going to need a grandfather in their lives. You think you can handle that?" C.J. said.

"Can they call me Uncle Kurt?"

"I was thinking 'Gramps' or 'Grandpapa' or 'Old Man'." C.J. joked. He then turned serious. "You didn't miss your chance to be a father. I just got married. I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I still need you." C.J. stepped forward and wrapped his father up in a tight hug, which Kurt gladly returned. Up on the dais, Barbara brought her hands up to her mouth as her eyes watered. Zack smiled and nodded.

"Well… at least I can tell you what not to do." Kurt joked as they embraced.

C.J. laughed. "Come on up and say hello." Just as they were about to start up front, Kurt was tapped on the shoulder from behind. He turned to see Carey standing in front of him. She had walked up on them without notice. To his surprise she cupped his face with both hands and delivered a short but sweet kiss on the lips.

"What was that for?" Kurt asked.

"For coming through for our son on the most important day of his life." Carey said.

"Well you know… I'll be there for our grandkids birth, birthday parties, soccer games, proms…" Kurt rattled off. Carey playfully swatted at him.

"That's the only kiss you're getting out of me today so you better savor it." Carey said.

Kurt laughed and took Carey's right hand into both of his. "Right now, I think I'm gonna go say hello to Zack and my new daughter-in-law." Kurt said. "By the way Carey, you look good."

"Not so bad yourself. You should wear suits more often." Carey said before walking away.

"Oh yeah." Kurt said as he put his arm around his son as they began making their way up front. "I still got it."

London and Maddie looked around and took in all of the pomp and circumstance that was the wedding and reception. They were basking in the glow of the day, basking in the glow of their love and what was to be.

"So how long are you gonna be gone?" Maddie asked.

"Long enough to wrap up things in the Paris office – two, maybe three weeks." London answered.

"What am I going to do for three weeks without you?" Maddie said with a pout.

"Good point. Come with me." London said.

"What? Just pick up for three weeks and go to Paris?" Maddie asked. "I have a job… cases… Ray will never go for that."

London reached down to pickup her evening bag. She pulled out her purse and dialed.

"Hi Ray, It's London Tipton… Yes, we're at the wedding… She's beautiful… Look, I was hoping to have Maddie assist my legal team in Paris with some contract language. Normally, I would suggest faxing and conferencing the information but… Oh, really? (London laughed followed by a pause) Is that right? Okay. (London laughed again) I'll tell her. You too… Bye Bye."

"What did he say?" Maddie asked.

"He told me to tell you that he expects a full report when you get back and to take it easy on London, you don't have to make up for seven years all at once."

Maddie's mouth dropped open. "HE DID NOT SAY THAT!"

London chuckled. "Yes he did. Chloe told him about us. He said in the year that he's known you he hasn't seen you so relaxed and happy. He said work hard, but play hard too."

"So I guess I'm packing my bags?"

"You, my dear, are going to Paris!" London said.

Maddie started clapping and bouncing. "Yay me!"

Everyone on the dais shot a curious look at Maddie. Zack summed up everyone's thoughts in one sentence. "Oh great! Now there are two of them!"

Members of the bridal party mixed and mingled with the guests. At one point in the evening, London and Maddie made their way over to the table where Raven and Chelsea were sitting and talking to Miley Stewart.

"What are the three of you commiserating about?" Maddie asked.

"I was asking Raven if she would design my dress for the Country Music Awards and she said yes." Miley said.

"Hey, I designed a dress for Hannah Montana, so why not her alter ego?" Raven said.

"Do you miss Hannah?" London asked.

"Hannah will always be a part of me." Miley said. "But, I've started a new chapter in my life. What I don't miss are the wigs. Dang, were they itchy!"

"I didn't get to ask you Miles… how are your brother and father?" Maddie asked.

"Well… Jackson is my road manager. He's doing some logistics for a promotional tour I'm doing in a couple of weeks. I think he's in… Virginia right now." Miley said. "And my dad is at home in Malibu being… Dad."

"Miley was also telling us about a certain situation that the four of us are familiar with as well." Chelsea said. "You know the whole 'falling for the best friend' thing."

"Has the Tipton suddenly become the set of The L Word or something?" Raven asked.

"Well at least there are two straight women we know of." London said pointing to Max and Barbara. "Look at her… she looks so happy."

"I know. Reminds me of our wedding day, huh Rae?" Chelsea said.

"Mmm hmm." Raven responded with a smile and a sweet peck on the lips.

"Aww… aren't they sweet?" Maddie said.

"They are." Miley said.

"So Miles… you and Lily… what's the deal?" London said.

"That's just it. There is no deal. I want a deal but I don't know if she wants one." Miley said.

Raven offered a suggestion. "Miley. Let me pass along some advice that was given to me once…"

"THE EYES ARE THE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL!" Chelsea, Maddie and London said in unison, remembering the advice that Eddie and Raven had given to them and mocking Raven's use of it again.

"Y'all act like I say that all the time." Raven said sheepishly, devolving into mumbling.

"You do, but it works." London said. "She just told me that this week and it got me Blondie here."

"Yeah." Maddie added. "Princess here didn't stand a chance once I saw what was in her heart."

"And of course Ms. Weeble Wobble over here used it on me." Chelsea said.

"I gotcha Weeble Wobble right here!" Raven joked. "Come here ya Red Dragon you!" Chelsea playfully hid behind London. "Talk to her. Tell her how you feel and lean on your friends for support."

"Hey ladies, you know what I'm thinking?" London asked with a mischievous eye.

"Road trip!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Raven bellowed. "A road trip to Malibu to help Miley get her woman!"

"That's So Raven." Chelsea deadpanned.

"What's with you and the 'That's So Raven' cracks?" Raven said with a raised voice. "You said that Wednesday when we got here, you said it just now. That's So Raven! That's So Raven! What's So Raven, huh? What's So Raven? What is so RAVEN, huh? What the fuck is so Raven about me, huh? What?"

Chelsea paused in horror for a second until she realized that Raven was paraphrasing a line from one of her favorite movies, _Goodfellas_. Chelsea, as she always did in these situations, answered with the next line from the movie.

"Get the fuck outta here! Raven!" Chelsea said. Raven cheered Chelsea's correct line. One by one, the other women recognized the reference and nodded smiling.

"I almost had her! Ya stutterin' prick ya!" Raven finished off the impromptu game of What's my Line with the line that followed Chelsea's. The other women laughed.

"You two are weird! And I love every weird bone in your bodies!" Maddie said. All of them began laughing. "Road trip it is! I've never been to Malibu."

"You mean you guys would come do that for me?" Miley asked.

"Sure we would. We've got the motive, means and opportunity. It's the perfect crime." London said. "We'll get together and hash out the details."

"So when are you leaving Miley?" Chelsea asked.

"Monday morning." Miley said.

"So are we!" Raven said.

"Us too!" Maddie said wagging her thumb back and forth between herself and London. "We should hang out tonight!"

"Wait! Where are you two going?" Raven asked.

"Maddie is flying with me to Paris while I pack up my office. I'm moving back to Boston." London said.

Chelsea and Raven squealed. "OH MY GOD! We are so happy for you! Now we'll get to hang out more often! Now you'll get to…"

"Most definitely!" Maddie said with a wicked grin.

"All of y'all are on the East Coast and I'll be stuck out in California." Miley said with a pout.

"Girl, please." Raven said. "Our parents still live in San Francisco…"

"And my step mom Brandi lives in L.A., so we'll visit a couple of times a year." London said.

"Since you're a country star, what you need to do is pack up Lily and your gee-tar and move to Nashville. Then we'll all be in the same time zone!" Maddie said.

"I might have to do that." Miley said with a chuckle.

"Well, let's meet up after the reception and we can figure out what we want to do." Raven said.

"Cool. I think we better get back up there." London said.

"You're right." Maddie said. "We'll talk to y'all later." London and Maddie stood up to go back up to the dais. "Oh! Let me use the little girls' room first."

"I'll walk with you." London said. They walked out of the ballroom and down the hall toward the restrooms. They walked past a short hallway when something London saw out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She looked down the hallway then ground to a stop. She began slapping Maddie on the arm with the back of her hand. "Maddie! Look!" She whisper-yelled.

"I have to go to the bathroom… He-llo!" Maddie said as she turned to see what London saw. "Is that Carey and Arwin…"

"Making out like there is no tomorrow!" London whispered. "Day-um!"

Just then, Marion came down the hall headed to the men's room when he saw London and Maddie stopped in the hallway.

"Well, hello ladies! And what are we looking at… OOH!" Moesby said upon seeing the make out session. The two heads in the middle of the hallway snapped around to see an audience of three staring at them. Carey let out a nervous giggle just before Moesby delivered his signature line. "Good luck with that!"

Moesby walked away followed by London and Maddie. As they stood in the hallway, Carey and Arwin heard, "WAY TO GO CAREY!" from around the corner. They both dropped their heads and let out an amused chuckle.

"I… Uh…" Carey started.

"Yeah." Arwin said.

"Look why don't we go back to the reception." Carey said. Arwin then reached in his pocket and handed Carey a room key card.

"Room 1479. I'll be there all evening. Use it if you want to. If not, then just call me in the morning." Arwin said. "Either way, breakfast is on me." Arwin then stepped to the side. "After you. I'm sure the kids are wondering where you are."

"Right." Carey said before stepping forward. _Breakfast may be on you in the morning, but I'm gonna be on you tonight, buddy! _Carey thought as she headed back to the ballroom.

As the reception wound down, London, Maddie, Raven, Chelsea and Miley met up and decided to just hang out in London's suite and talk. C.J. and Barbara were off on their weeklong honeymoon to Mazatlan, a wedding gift from Barbara's parents. Zack and Max went back to his place for the evening. And Carey took Arwin up on his offer of breakfast… the morning after.

**Saturday, April 15, 2017 – 11:45 p.m.**

**Presidential Suite – Tipton Hotel**

The five women changed and met up in London's suite. They were still hungry after the reception and ordered pizza. The order included Buffalo wings, celery and cheesy breadsticks with marinara sauce, just for Raven. They talked about everything from men and women to politics to sports and entertainment. The subject finally drifted to the past, present and future.

"You know, Random House called me the other day about writing a book." Miley said.

"Oh yeah?" Chelsea said.

"Yeah. An autobiography on life as Hannah Montana." Miley said.

"Are you gonna do it?" Maddie asked.

"I think so." Miley said. "There are a lot of lessons to be learned about the do's and don'ts of living life as a celebrity."

"Yeah, but Miles remember…" Raven said before starting to sing. "You get the limo out front…"

London chimed in. "Hottest styles, every shoe, every color…"

"I haven't sung this in years!" Miley said.

Maddie added this. "Yeah, when you're famous it can be kinda fun…"

Then came Chelsea's turn. "It's really you but no one ever discovers."

Miley decided to join the fun. "Who would of thought that a girl like me  
Would double as a superstar…"

Everyone sang the chorus…

"YOU GET THE BEST… OF BOTH WORLDS… CHILLIN' OUT, TAKE IT SLOW… THEN YOU ROCK OUT THE SHOW! YOU GET THE BEST… OF BOTH WORLDS… MIX IT ALL TOGETHER AND YOU KNOW THAT IT'S THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!"

"OH MY GOD! You guys are insane!" Miley said. All of them were laughing hysterically.

"So what are you gonna call your book?" Maddie said. "You got a title in mind?"

"Well… I was thinking about _Hannah Montana: Revealed_, _The Best (and worst) Of Both Worlds and The Real Hannah Montana_ but they just don't… pop." Miley said.

"Well, let's see. Who was Hannah Montana?" Raven said.

"Limos, parties, the best food, fancy clothes…" Maddie said.

"Fancy hotels…" London said. "You know something… that's a pretty sweet life."

"I GOT IT!" Chelsea said.

Raven smirked. "This I've got to hear. She wanted to name our dog Stay. 'Come here, Stay! Come here, Stay!' I mean, poor dog would develop a complex!"

Chelsea stuck her tongue out at Raven. "Miley how about this? Are you ready?" Chelsea looked up and spread out her hands. "The That's So Sweet Life of Hannah Montana."

Miley thought about it for a minute. "Not bad. Not bad at all! Somebody could be looking at Hannah's life saying 'That's So Sweet!' But since I was always staying in hotels on tour, you could spell sweet like a hotel suite! Yeah!" Miley stood up. "The That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana!" She hugged Chelsea. "That is genius! Why didn't anybody ever think of that for a title?" Everyone in the room shrugged.

"You know I thought about writing a book too." London said. "Overcoming tragedy, rebuilding your life, becoming successful, finding true love."

"What would you call it?" Maddie asked.

"The Search For Tomorrow." London said.

"You mean like the soap opera my grandmother watched?" Raven said.

"Well that's where the name came from but I mean the idea behind it." London said. "We are all searching for the truth in our lives. We're looking for what's real, what's reliable, what's safe, what inspires us, what makes us who we are. And no matter how many answers we come up with today, we have that many more questions left unanswered."

"The Search… For Tomorrow." Miley said. "I get it."

"That is deep, London." Chelsea said. "I would so buy that book."

"Then you'll love the book I'm gonna write." Maddie said. "It's gonna be about me falling in love with London."

"That's sweet." Raven said. "What would you call it?"

Maddie smiled. "London's Britches Falling Down!" Chelsea, Miley and Raven fell out laughing.

"You know what?" London shot up out of her seat. "Come here, Blondie!" Maddie screamed and started running around the suite to the laughter of the other three. London was hot on her heels. "I'll show you britches coming down!" London screamed as she chased Maddie.

Maddie got to the room door and flung it open and took off down the hall. London gave chase and finally caught her near the elevator. Both of them were out of breath and laughing as London slipped her hands around Maddie's waist.

"Funny, Fitzpatrick. Very funny." London said with a smile.

"I love that smile." Maddie said. "I don't ever want to wake up without it again."

"If I get my way, you won't have to. And I ALWAYS get my way." London said.

"Once a princess, always a princess." Maddie said with a grin as their lips moved closer.

"And don't ever forget it." London said as their lips touched and then locked for a kiss. After breaking the kiss they both smiled. "Now let's get back to our guests."

They began walking toward the room. "My girlfriend, Madeline Fitzpatrick." London said.

"My girlfriend, London Tipton." Maddie said as they headed for the door.

"Unrequited love…PFFT!" London scoffed. "Whatever. Requited love is what we have."

Maddie began singing, taking license with Peaches and Herb's _Reunited_. "We're requited and it feels so good…" Then London joined her. "We're requited, cause we understood… there's one perfect fit… and Sugar, this one is it… we both are so excited… our love's requited… hey…hey." They both smiled and rubbed noses.

They stepped inside the threshold of the room door when London bellowed, "Now how are we gonna get Miley and Lily together?"

* * *

**And cue the closing music… **

**Here I am in your life, Here you are in mine, Guess we have a suite life, most of the time. You and me, we've got the world to see, so come on down. Just me and you know what to do, so come on down. It's you and me, me and you; we've got the whole place to ourselves. You and me, we got it all for free, so come on down. This is the suite life. We've got a suite life.**

**Thank you for making my first Suite Life story a rousing success. At the time I am writing this, I have 100 reviews and still counting. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for each and every one of them. I will be back. You can count on it. But my first love calls… That's So Raven and in particular, Raven and Chelsea or Chrave. Thank you for accepting me into your fandom. I promise I will not be a stranger. **

**Now if you will excuse me, I hear my siren's call… If you can gaze into the future. (Future, future.) You might think life would be a breeze. (Life is a breeze.)…**


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